Hundreds of protestors gathered today at the Santa Cruz County Courthouse as part of a national movement, “Not My President’s Day.”
Santa Cruzans held posters with slogans like “No person is above the law” and “Love not hate makes America great” while chanting “Hey hey! Ho ho! Elon Musk has got to go!” – all in protest of President Donald Trump and his administration. The crowd took to the lawn and sidewalk as traffic slowed and cars honked in support. The environment was passionate but peaceful, with many protestors speaking of their commitment to stopping Trump’s regime from derailing democracy.
Owlen Skogerson of Aptos said she was protesting to both inspire others to get involved and educate those about the state of America under Trump.
“My principle is to stay with what is true and right and to choose a side in this Civil War, which is what we’re in, and my side of that is democracy,” she said.
Skogerson visited a Holocaust Museum 10 years ago, which had a lasting impact. She said she got a magnet to remind her of that time, which says, “When things go bad, don’t go with them,” a motto she carries with her daily.
“I would like to see my fellow Americans recognize we are in a crisis state and that it affects each and every one of us,” Skogerson said.
“We will all suffer, so each of us needs to get involved and participate in our democracy,” she said.
Democracy was a common theme amongst protestors like Opamago Agyemang, who said, “I love America and the democracy we live in, and I feel like we are very close to authoritarianism simply because there’s a guy in office who has no morals.”
Agyemang was joined by Ruby Navarro, who emphasized a need for community and encouragement with each other. Navarro was drawn to the protest to be in solidarity with her community, including those who were not able to attend in person.
“I feel like it’s very depressing to have to deal with this at home individually,” she said. “To see that there is a community of people that does not agree with all of this, and to be part of it, is important so everyone can see that there is support.”
Other protestors like Dice, who asked to only use their first name out of privacy concerns, voiced their worries over attacks on vulnerable community members, such as those who identify as LGBTQ+. This community has already seen a targeted rollback of rights by the Trump administration, particularly in the transgender communities.
“We have been under attack for a long time, but Trump is actively taking away resources and funding,” Dice said. “It’s really scary, going after transgender youth and limiting transgender healthcare.”
They also voiced their concerns for undocumented residents and other minorities.
“Our undocumented friends are not safe, and just marginalized people in general are under attack, and it’s very scary. Coming together with the community is really healing right now,” they said.
Grassroots organizations, including the all-volunteer group 50501 and Political Revolution, partnered to organize a nationwide movement on President’s Day, Feb. 17, under the banner “Not my President’s Day” — in an act of rejection against Trump.
The event took place in every state in the country, where protestors gathered to oppose policies enacted feverishly by Trump since his return to the White House for a second, four-year term.
This day of action stretched across the nation, from larger cities like San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Denver, all the way to the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.
Other cities in California protested as well, including Monterey’s “America Has No King” event and in Salinas, both of which rallied at the same time as Santa Cruz. Eureka, Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego, Irvine, San Jose and Los Angeles held protests under different rallying cries, including “America Has No Kings”, “No Kings Day” and “Protest Against Facism”, among others.
Retired Santa Cruz resident Carol Yvanovich said she was protesting Trump and everything he stands for.
“I am extremely concerned about the state of our country,” she said.
When asked what she hopes to gain from the protest, she said she hopes to make a change and persuade people to become interested in why people got together to take a stance.
Yvanovich said she opposes Trump’s immigration policies, along with his desire to leave NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – as well as his handling of the divisive Israel-Palestine conflict.
She was also protesting to be surrounded by like-minded people, which she said feels refreshing because in everyday life, it’s easy to feel powerless.
But despite the harsh reality, some protesters like Sarah Lee come with a positive message to make the pill easier to swallow.
“Lead with love and together we stand united, together we are undivided,” Lee said.
