During Rainy Norristown Rally, Activists Call For Democracy, Human Rights

NORRISTOWN, PA — In the midst of driving, freezing rain and set against a gray and wet backdrop, large crowds descended on the Montgomery County courthouse steps in Norristown over the weekend to rally in a stand for civil rights.

The event, which featured a host of county, state, and local political and community leaders, addressed a range of issues from democracy and reproductive rights to climate action and healthcare.

"I know it's cold, I know it's wet, it's a little uncomfortable, but it's time to get uncomfortable," Stephanie Vincent, with the nonprofit Community for Change, told the assembled crowd. "That's the only way we're gonna change.

It came just two days before President Trump's Monday inauguration and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, amid renewed concerns over proposed policies to be brought forth in Trump's second term. It was a charged atmosphere that drew heavily on the legacy of MLK and sought to spark optimism and hope for those discouraged by Trump's return to power.

"We get this idea that power is separate from love, that in order to have power we can't have love," ACLU senior organizer Naiymah Sanchez said during the event. "I think that's crap, and so did Martin Luther King."

Sanchez was one of several speakers to quote from MLK, and to encourage the rally-goers to not give up.

Local leaders also sought to give reassurances to those who feared for imminent day to day changes following the change in power.

"I am dedicated to ensuring that our county is a place where everyone—no matter their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or income—can live with dignity, opportunity, and a true sense of belonging," Montgomery County Commissioner Jamila Winder said during the event.

Labeled "The People's Rally" and held in conjunction with similar rallies and marches in Washington D.C. and nationwide, the event featured keynote speeches from Winder and State Sen. Amanda Cappelletti, as well as remarks from PA Women Rise, PA Youth Vote, the Clean Air Council, ACLU PA, Norristown Hospitality Center, and more.