As protests rage across the country following Donald Trump’s election, his opponents in Gainesville are organizing acts of resistance this week — and hoping to influence local politicians to fight the president-elect’s future policies.
On Sunday, about 250 anti-Trump protesters crammed inside the Music Art Movement and Action Club downtown to voice concerns about Trump’s impending presidency, the second formal gathering by the group following an emotional rally outside Gainesville City Hall on Thursday.
As organizers spoke through black megaphones, discussing plans to protest Trump throughout the city Thursday, many stood in the club’s courtyard straining to hear.
Diana Moreno, the program coordinator for UF’s Hispanic-Latino Affairs, helped organize the meeting. An immigrant from Ecuador, she wore a “Not My President” button as she implored the crowd to resist Trump’s plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants by making Gainesville a “sanctuary city,” where it would adopt policies against prosecuting undocumented immigrants.
She said those gathered needed to take direct action to protest Trump, who she said has marginalized minority groups.
“We are here united against racism, against misogyny,” she said.
Protests are planned for 4 p.m. Thursday at the intersections of Southwest 34th Street and Southwest Archer Road, and Southwest 13th Street and West University Avenue, among other locations. A march is also planned for Saturday at 4 p.m. starting at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Those gathered Sunday split into three groups to organize their plans of resistance, going to the main room of MAMA Club, the courtyard in the back and Haisley Lynch Park across the street.
James Davidson, a 49-year-old Hawthorne resident, was playing in the park with his 2-year-old son, Henry, when Candi Churchill, an organizer, gathered dozens in a circle.
He brought Henry over to the edge of the crowd, at one point hoisting him up on his shoulders to give his son a better look. Davidson said he worries about Henry growing up under a Trump presidency.
“I worry about the future,” he said. “I worry about the future now more than I used to a week ago.”
As they listened, Churchill took suggestions for the name of Saturday’s march. The name “Freedom From Fear” won, getting the most snaps of approval.
Kneeling on the sidewalk, Kayleigh Chalkowski, a 27-year-old Gainesville resident, started making anti-Trump signs for Thursday’s protest. She drew Trump with orange and yellow markers before crossing his face out with one black line.
Chalkowski said she fears Trump undoing policies to combat climate change. She cited his appointing Myron Ebell, a climate-change skeptic, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency transition team.
“I just really don’t want to see us take a step backward,” Chalkowski said.
After the meeting, Gainesville resident Alyson Chadwick walked over to Maude’s Classic Cafe for a cup of coffee. While there, she got up to speak at the Not My President open-mic event. She told a group of about 20 people she worried about women’s rights under Trump, mainly in light of his 2005 comments about his fame allowing him to make sexual advances on women.
Layne Wrighton, the owner and general manager of Maude’s, said she was approached by Gainesville resident Jackson Sabbagh, who stood outside as they and customers shared their fears following the election.
“I thought it was a great idea,” Wrighton said. “I think people should be able to come together.”
Faye Williams, the owner of MAMAs Club, said she offered up her building after hearing the group needed a place. A community organizer for 43 years, she said it is time for the older generation to step back and listen to new voices.
She walked between her building and the park, listening from afar.
“This is the young people’s movement,” Williams said. “They got to move it forward.”
A woman holds a homemade cardboard sign while marching with thousands of other people on East Randolph Street in Chicago on Saturday morning. Those in attendance protested President-elect Donald Trump.
