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Shorewood seniors are once again planning to protest the policies of the Trump administration on Thursday as part of a nationwide protest movement honoring the late Democratic Congressman John Lewis.
The “Good Trouble Lives On Day of Action” is a nationwide effort to speak out against the current administration’s immigration and civil rights policies.
“In the spirit of the late congressman John Lewis, Shorewood seniors are once again stepping up to make ‘good trouble’ in defense of democratic values, civil liberties and human rights for all,” an annoucement from a Shorewood seniors group said.
The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the 1100 block of North River Road in Shorewood, and the seniors are encouraging all community members to join them.
Several members of the group are encouraging participation, citing recent actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the controversial detention centers being created to house those taken into custody.
“I’m getting into Good Trouble for racial equality,” said Jeanne Engstrom, a member of the Shorewood group. “We have gone back decades. The ICE kidnappings of brown people is an example. They are housed in for-profit prisons. They are being taken from private property, such as places of worship. We must stand by our immigrants.”
“As a senior person, I am greatly concerned about the future that our children and grandchildren will be facing,” Mike Hall said.
Lewis served as a U.S. congressman from Atlanta, Georgia, from 1987 until his death on July 17, 2020. He first rose to prominence in the 1960s as an activist in the Civil Rights Movement, fighting segregation in the South. During his civil rights protests, he met with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and was a central participant in the Freedom Rides and the Selma to Montgomery marches.
He coined the phrase “good trouble” as a way to refer to “peaceful, non-violent action to challenge injustice and create meaningful change,” according to the Good Trouble Lives On organizing website.
The latest round of protests, a follow-up to the massive No Kings rallies on June 14, were scheduled on the anniversary of his death to honor his legacy of non-violent activism.
“I associate John Lewis with civil rights,” Paula Polechla said. “Recognizing him now is relevant because of issues threatening birthright citizenship and rolling back LGBTQ rights. It seems rights are being taken away from all of us.”
The Good Trouble protest organizers have emphasized the need for the demonstrations to remain peaceful nationwide and say they are focused on “mobilization to defend racial justice, immigrant rights, LGBTQ protections and the rule of law.”
The Shorewood Seniors event is one of more than 1,500 Good Trouble protests currently planned across all 50 states. Another group is planning to gather from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday in downtown Joliet, at 100 W. Jefferson St.
In their announcement, the seniors have asked participants to wear “Good Trouble” or other protest merchandise and to bring signs.
Like previous protests against the Trump administration, the Good Trouble Lives On events are backed by a coalition of civil rights and grassroots progressive voter organizations, including Indivisible, the ACLU, the Human Rights Campaign, Move On and the League of Women Voters.