On Wednesday afternoons, a group of neighbors rallies at the congested intersection of San Jose and Geneva avenues for social and political justice.
The weekly gathering, spearheaded by legendary community advocate Rev. Glenda Hope in February, usually brings together a dozen people concerned about the nation’s future. They chat and hold signs while encouraging motorists to honk.
“The first protest I ever stood in was in 1959 in Richmond, Va., for civil rights, and there have been so many since then, but I have never seen anything like this,” Hope said. “It scares me. I never felt like the people I was trying to change were trying to destroy our country, but I feel that way now. It's terrifying.”
Hope said the action of protesting is vital to message that the people reject the oppressor’s actions and remind others that they are not alone.
The weekly protest, called the “Wednesday Vigil,” is in reaction to many current events, from the actions of the Trump administration and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the war in Iran, and the criticism and defunding of media, among other issues.
“I’m doing this for my children and grandchildren because I have gay and transgender grandchildren,” Linda Stark Litehiser said. “Some of the rules that Trump has passed and others are going to definitely hurt my own family, personally, but just the intolerance of this stuff and this latest war. I know some Iranian people. I know how troubled they are by what’s happening.”
Adele Brookman and Noah Weaker said protesting is second nature. They’ve taken part in several over the decades and find it to be a valuable tool for bringing attention to various issues and find that one of the only ways to make change is to protest.
“I can't do everything anymore, but I am doing this,” Brookman said. “I love people. Can’t say that I love all of humanity, but I want the best for everyone.”
For the current political climate, their focus has been on ICE, and they have worked with the organization Crush ICE SF, gathering signatures to put forth a ballot initiative to declare ICE and Border Patrol to be terrorist organizations and to ban their members from future employment in the City and County of San Francisco, as well as employment on city contracts.
“All of us are, I believe, individuals who believe our country's constitution is under attack and that it's only a matter of time before one of our friends or neighbors is on ‘the list’ to have rights denied and/or to be victimized by ICE,” Barbara Fugate told The Light. “We believe that complacency is no longer an option for anyone and we hope to raise awareness before they take away our free press and we lose the right to vote in our own elections.”
Protesting isn’t new to this band of activists, many of whom have been active for the last 30 years. In fact, many participated in a weekly vigil, led by Hope in 2020, held in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Though the majority of attendees are from the senior group Cayuga Community Connectors, all are welcome to participate.
“This is our moment in history, where it matters,” Joe Litehiser said. “We won’t really know for a long time how much it really matters, but we don’t have a second chance.”
The Wednesday Vigil is open to all and meets from 4 – 5 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Alex Mullaney contributed reporting.
