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Hundreds Gather at People’s March Ahead of New Administration

On the Saturday before Inauguration Day, more than 300 people gathered in front of Alameda’s City Hall for a rally and march in anticipation of the incoming administration. Organized by Alameda resident Cindy Pile, along with Catherine Egelhoff, Julia Owens, Sarah Henry, Cherie Amor, Gerald Bryant, Alexa Silva and Angela Carlson, the Alameda People’s March was coordinated to take place during the national Women’s Marches around the U.S. It featured local speakers and was followed by a march along Park Street to South Shore Center.

Alameda Post - before the People's March in Alameda, community members gather at City Hall holding signs while someone speaks into a microphone
Cindy Pile (pink gloves) addresses the crowd while Councilmember Tracy Jensen (brown jacket) stands by. Photo Jean Chen.
Alameda Post - a large crowd is gathered outside City Hall before the People's March
A crowd gathers for the People’s March. Photo Jean Chen.

Pile explained her motivation for organizing the event. “I wanted people to come together right before the inauguration and build the power we actually have to celebrate what we’re doing and give people some hope.” She made it clear that the event is not just a protest but more of a way to support people who are already working toward social change and inspire others to get involved.

Attendees who got to the rally early made posters and visited tables sponsored by All Rise Alameda, 100k Trees for Humanity, and the League of Women Voters of Alameda. The crowd of mostly older white women was upbeat as they talked about what brought them to the steps of City Hall.



Alameda Post - in front of City Hall, people draw on posters
Marchers make signs. Photo Jean Chen.
Alameda Post - two women hold signs. One says, "Hands off my body, my democracy, my social sec., my medicare." The other says "Women's rights are human rights"
Patricia Bossano and Magdalena Lozano. Photo Jean Chen.

Patricia Bossano, who traveled from Fairfield, told the Alameda Post, “We’re in a critical moment in our history where our democracy is basically non-existent and the corruption that is happening right now with the Supreme Court and in all of government is absolutely ridiculous. We need to stand up and do something about it.”

Mary Claire Blake-Neumann, the chair of All Rise Alameda, said that she was at the rally “to continue the fight.” Her organization came together in 2017 after the Women’s March with the aim of getting Democrats to take control of the House of Representatives. They were successful after a campaign of canvassing and phone banking. “It’s more important than ever that we stay engaged and that we stay together,” she told the Post.

Alameda Post - in front of the City Hall steps, a table from All Rise Alameda is set up
All Rise Alameda’s table. Photo Jean Chen.
Alameda Post - two women stand in front of City Hall. One puts their arm over the other's shoulder, and they smile at the camera.
Genevieve Yuen and Destanie Wright. Photo Jean Chen.

Sprinkled in among the crowd were pink pussy hats, older men, families with young children, and local high school students. Genevieve Yuen and Destanie Wright were attending the rally after hearing about it from the League of Women Voters at Alameda High School (AHS).  Destinae told the Post, “This is a topic that I’m really passionate about and I thought it would be a great opportunity to promote women’s rights.”

Thea Herner-Brown, also a student at AHS and Alameda Unified School District’s LGTBQ+ Equity Roundtable Student Co-Chairperson, was a speaker at the rally. “I’m excited to see the support in Alameda for equality and against the incoming administration,” Herner-Brown said. “We know it’s there, but it’s different to see it in action.”

Alameda Post - two people smile at the camera and stand together
Emily Price and Thea Herner-Brown. Photo Jean Chen.

At 10 a.m., Alameda City Councilmember Tracy Jensen spoke to the crowd to kick off the rally. “Alameda is a welcoming community and we welcome everyone here,” Jensen said. “We provide sanctuary for everyone.”

After Jensen’s address, Planned Parenthood Youth Representative Chaitanya Verma took the mic, followed by Herner-Brown and a student from Lincoln Middle School. Amos White of 100K Trees for Humanity, Blake-Neumann of All Rise Alameda, Wyeth McAdam Edgelow of City of Alameda Democratic Club, and Susan Hauser of League of Women Voters of Alameda also addressed the crowd with calls to action and messages of inspiration and hope.

Alameda Poet Laureate Kimi Sugioka read two of her poems, “Inaugural Firestorm” and “Aliens,” to the delight of many rally attendees. Reverend Laura Rose of the First Congregational Church of Alameda closed out the rally with a blessing.

Alameda Post - people gather on the steps of Alameda City Hall, and a small band performs
The Nep-Tunes perform. Photo Jean Chen.

Members of the Nep-Tunes, a local band, stood on City Hall steps and then led the crowd in singing the Peter Paul and Mary classic, “If I Had a Hammer” followed by Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come.” The crowd then walked over to Park Street and marched peacefully on the sidewalk to South Shore Center.

Compared to 2017’s Women’s March in Oakland, the Alameda’s People March was noticeably much smaller and more subdued, with many Democratic voters feeling a sense of fatigue and hopelessness in the face of the incoming administration. Pile had a message for those who are feeling burned out: “Take care of yourself and know that there are so many great organizations and there are efforts you can join in when you’re ready.”

Alameda Post - the People's March starts out from City Hall
The People’s March heads out from City Hall. Photo Jean Chen.
Alameda Post - in front of Julie's Cafe on park street, two mothers pushing strollers march with the People's March
The People’s March walks down Park Street. Photo Jean Chen.

Blake-Neumann agreed. “Don’t give up,” she told the crowd. “Kamala Harris said, ‘This is not the time to throw your hands up, this is the time to roll up your sleeves.’” For those who haven’t given up and were able to show up, the rally offered a sense of belonging and community, a space for people to feel that they are not alone.

Isabelle Choiniere-Correa said she came from Oakland to be “part of this movement.” She explained, “I want to be part of this community, this sisterhood, humanity who are resisting, who are marching for empathy, community, and love.”

Jean Chen is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Jean-Chen.

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