Donald Trump’s return to office has already brought big changes that affect all Americans. Some of these changes include stricter immigration policy and increased tariffs changes to Transgender and abortion rights, and funding for entitlements. In response, the biggest display of public resistance against the Trump Administration took place on April 5 across the US.
This series of protests is known as “hands-off” movements. Those who participated want the government to step down from interfering with American rights and reverse some of the changes. Some people attended for a specific cause, and others advocated for all of the issues. Protestors made signs and banners to represent their voices.
Senior Kaelyn Ruiz attended the protest locally in Rancho Bernardo. She is passionate about many of the issues and felt like it was time to do something. Ruiz believes that peaceful protests and petitions are the best way for people’s voices to be heard, not through violence.
“I think it’s super important for students to attend protests like these to not only explore what they believe in but to learn how to be proactive. Soon we’ll be young adults and voters, and we will have to make the decision to either be okay with how our world is or do something about it,” Ruiz said.
Her advice to other students who want to make a difference is to sacrifice something small, such as not shopping at places that support some of the initiatives the Trump administration is taking.
Accompanying Ruiz at the protest was senior Brody Higgins-Goodell. His incentive to go was for his passion, protecting women’s rights. His motivation was to protect the rights of his moms and his girlfriend. He said he has seen on the news about rights for women being overturned, so he felt like he should support something that was important to him.
“I think the most important way to make a difference is by speaking up and out. If we silently sit by as bad things are happening, we bear some of the responsibility for those things happening at all,” Higgins-Goodell said.
