No Kings III: Now We Wield our Power
Mural at No Kings III in Boston. Photo by a Mass 50501 volunteer.
No Kings III on Saturday, March 28th, was the largest nationwide protest in U.S. history with over 8 million attendees. Over 3,300 events took place across all 50 states, meaning that there were more protests than there are counties in the U.S. Worldwide, events were held on 6 continents (the only continent not represented was Antarctica). In Massachusetts, there were 169 registered events, which was second in number only to California.
No Kings III in Plymouth. Photo by a Mass 50501 volunteer.
Boston’s No Kings rally drew a crowd of 180,000 participants on the Common, where the theme of the day was “We the People Are We the Powerful.” Big rallies and protests, like No Kings, are excellent vehicles for community catharsis, increasing visibility, and recruiting people to the movement. A crowd of 180,000 people standing in solidarity is an immense display of our power. But that power is wasted if sustained action is not taken. Everything on Boston Common was geared toward helping people recognize and tap into their power. We cannot squander this moment.
Aerial photo of No Kings III in Boston. Photo by Prime Aerial Photography, www.primeaerialphoto.com.
The event speakers all touched on the topic of power and ways to take action. All acknowledged the horrific circumstances that led more than 8 million of us to protest and the very real hurdles that are still to come. Each speaker reminded the crowd to continue speaking up. Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the Milford teen who was detained by ICE last year, stated, “Power doesn't always announce itself as a king. Sometimes it shows up as fear. Sometimes as silence, sometimes as people being too afraid to speak… because freedom isn't just words on paper. It's whether people actually feel safe enough to live their lives. And freedom means we question power. We don't worship it. That is why we are here. That's why we speak.”
No Kings III in Fitchburg. Photo by a Mass 50501 volunteer.
Some speakers, like Senator Warren and Governor Healey, urged the crowd to support election integrity and to vote. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley expanded upon that idea, reminding the crowd that action must go beyond the ballot box because “the world is on fire and it is going to take every single one of us doing everything we can to put this fascist…white nationalist fire out.” Attorney General Andrea Campbell urged participants to use Massachusetts’ new ICE misconduct portal so that the state can “prosecute anyone who is violating our laws, who is harming our people, and who is threatening their safety.”
Ice sculpture by Kat Dressler at No Kings III in Boston. Photo by a Mass 50501 volunteer.
Jessica Tang, president of the American Federation of Teachers, asked people to join the De-ICE Citizens Bank campaign. She and Adriana from LUCE both promoted May Day, the next nationwide day of collective action. Hessann Farooqi, the executive director of the Boston Climate Action Network, suggested folks join groups to support the climate like 350 Mass, Sierra Club, Mothers Out Front, Clean Water Action, Alternatives for Community & Environment, Green Roots, and the Boston Climate Action Network. Bahar Sharafi from the National Iranian American Council stated, “It is the duty of every American to resist this war and make sure that Congress doesn't fund it. Call your representatives and tell them no funding for this war” and “find an anti-war organization to join today.” Jeff Parente for About Face Veterans reported, “The government has deported one of About Face's members. They're trying to deport another one of our members. They can use your support. Please spread the word about their cases. You can find information on our social media accounts at VetsAboutFace.”
Dropkick Murphys performing at No Kings III in Boston. Photo by Michael Sparks Keegan, Instagram @michael_sparks_keegan.
Giselle Byrd, executive director of The Theater Offensive and the first Black trans woman appointed to the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, reminded us that “we cannot be at war with each other. Our fight cannot be for select people to thrive and others to perish. If that is your cause, then you are no better than the oppressive storm spiraling from D.C.” Darlene Lombos, president of the the Greater Boston Labor Council explained that communities coming together to effect change in the past is the same action needed today, stating, “It was the solidarity with all parts of society: big business, small business, spiritual leaders from all different faiths, progressives, libertarians, youth, women, men, old peoples, young peoples, everyone had to come together back then. And that's what it's going to take today to fight against this authoritarian regime.” Senator Markey reminded us, “[The regime] fear[s] the power of the people when we come together like each and every one of you gathered today.” You can view all the speeches on Mass 50501’s YouTube here.
No Kings III in Boston. Photo by Kayli Jean, www.kaylijean.com.
Over the hill from the speeches, on the other side of the Common, participants had the opportunity to get information and to support causes from over 50 tabling organizations. While there were stickers and swag (and in some cases, treats), there were also specific ways to get involved. If you missed this area, we strongly encourage you to click through the organizer list and visit each of the websites. There is something for everyone! Mass 50501 hosted a table that was part networking, part recruitment effort (Volunteer with us!), and part Flock Off education. Wonderfully, we found that Massachusetts residents across the political spectrum are not fans of AI-powered mass surveillance. Keep talking about this issue!
No Kings III in Plymouth. Photo by a Mass 50501 volunteer.
When people are given a lot of information, especially all at once, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Boston’s No Kings organizers aimed to have people commit to at least one action a week to advance freedom, equality, justice, and dignity for all. In between the speeches and the tabling organizations was a 45-foot-long community mural graffitied with the words “We the Powerful.” Here, participants were asked to write their specific, sustainable, actionable pledges to support democracy. Pledgers were given suggestions of actions to take (examples can be found here). While some people started writing immediately, many paused, looked over the examples, and really thought about their choice. People wrote about supporting education, standing out at the Burlington ICE facility, writing letters to officials to get ICE out of MA, getting to know and support their neighbors, donating to humanitarian causes, engaging out-of-state voters, standing with a bridge brigade, supporting trans kids, their families, and their doctors; donating blood, believing women, gardening, making protest art, and tearing fascists down, among many other important ideas. The artist who conceived of, created, and built the mural expressed hope that by writing pro-democracy pledges in their own words, participants would remember and honor their pledge after the event ended. Additionally, the mural in its completed form showed the power that individual actions can wield when they are undertaken by thousands of people in unison. Actions, like the messages on the finished mural, may vary in size and scope, but together, they have a profound impact.
Mural at No Kings III in Boston. Photo by a Mass 50501 volunteer.
If you didn’t get a chance to add to the mural, or if you wrote on it but your message was fairly general, take some time to think about what you want to do today (and tomorrow and the next day) and what you can commit to doing. If 180,000 people each commit to sustained pro-democracy action, real change is not just coming, it’s inevitable. We recommend framing your pledge in a SMART way, meaning that your pledge is:
Specific - what exactly are you planning to do? How exactly will you do it?
Measurable - how will you measure your success? (Remember that for some of these actions, you may not ever see the direct impacts of your action. This doesn’t mean your action is not worthwhile. You may need to consider a different barometer of your success, including perhaps your own engagement.)
Achievable - can you actually do the thing you’re setting out to do? (In this case, we don’t recommend focusing on the individual achievability of a big goal such as “defeating fascism.” Rather, is what you’re planning to do something that you can sustain? Do you have the tools? Resources? Skills? If not, adjust your goal!)
Relevant - is your plan related to supporting democracy? (Spoiler alert: anything that builds community, lifts others up, resists tyrannical forces, or protects and advances freedom, equality, justice, and dignity for all counts!)
Time-Bound - when are you going to enact your plan? How frequently are you going to take this action?
Mural at No Kings III in Boston. Photo by a Mass 50501 volunteer.
While you may not need to identify all five parameters to make your pledge work for you, the above framing can be a helpful tool toward turning your ideal into action. If you need help coming up with SMART goals, we encourage you to join us in Discord and to volunteer with us! There are many ways to get involved; you can:
Commit to learning more about combatting Flock Safety’s mass surveillance. In fact, MA House Bill H.3755 (legislation that would impose meaningful statewide LPR guardrails such as data retention and sharing limits) just advanced out of the Transportation Committee and now awaits action in the House Ways and Means Committee! You can commit to regularly reaching out to your House representative to let them know how important this legislation is. You can find more information here. You can also spread the word about Flock’s dangers in your city or town with these call scripts.
Help us organize another lobbying action.
Pledge to be more involved in your local government, starting with attending your upcoming town meeting!
Donate to causes doing the work you support, like Mass 50501.
Build community by truly talking to the people around you.
Read and amplify our blog posts (or better yet, join us and help us write them!)
No Kings III in Fitchburg. Photo by a Mass 50501 volunteer.
We hope this gives you some actionable ideas to keep the momentum going. Find your pathway to power and commit to it. Thank you for showing up at No Kings and for continuing to show up. Let’s use our power, together!
No Kings III in Boston. Photo by Kayli Jean, www.kaylijean.com.
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