In advance of President Trump's first address to Congress on Tuesday, February 28, major national advocacy groups and individuals resisting his harmful agenda are joining together to hold 'A Resistance Address: Defending American Values in a Time of Moral Crisis' -- an address and rally outside the White House before Trump gives his address to a joint session of Congress. Organizations and individuals involved include Rosie O'Donnell, Food & Water Watch, ACLU, MoveOn.org Civic Action, National Nurses United, Hip Hop Caucus, DailyKos, Our Revolution, and many others.
Thousands are expected to participate in the rally, both in front of the White House and via livestream. The rally will feature speakers from diverse organizations and groups of people who have been impacted and harmed by the Trump Administration's policies, including women, people of color, and members of LGBTQ community, as well as environmental and immigrants' rights groups. They will send a clear message outside of Trump's front door that his agenda does not represent the values of the American people. Following the first disastrous month of his Administration, Trump is expected to articulate a discriminatory agenda that continues to put people in harm's way, undermines equality and our shared values, and damages our environment.
"The Trump administration does not represent the values of most Americans," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. "We're here to remind him that not only are his policies unpopular, they are also destructive to the fabric of this nation and our planet. That's why the state of the resistance is stronger than ever -- and will continue to grow."
"The Trump administration has gone to great lengths of dividing and not uniting citizens, creating an 'us' versus 'them' environment when speaking to all Americans, it is shameful, and dangerous. Only when the American values of justice and equality are upheld will we escape the moral crisis that this discriminatory agenda represents for our nation," said Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus.
"We rally not only to resist but to build a movement of millions working for social, environmental and economic justice," said Larry Cohen of Our Revolution.
WHAT: 'A Resistance Address: Defending American Values in a Time of Moral Crisis' Rally ahead of Trump's Address to a joint session of Congress. On Social Media, #ResistanceAddress.
WHO (in order of address):
Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Hip Hop Caucus
Jordan Marie Daniel, Rising Hearts
Larry Cohen, Our Revolution
Dr. Maha Hilal, DC Justice for Muslims Coalition
Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, Bend the Arc
Faiz Shakir, ACLU
Sandra Falwell, National Nurses United
Will Fischer, VoteVets
Kaylie Hanson Long, NARAL
Julieta Garibay, United We Dream
Wenonah Hauter, Food & Water Watch
Rosie O'Donnell
WHEN: Tuesday, February 28, 6pm-7:30pm ET; media availability with organizers from 5:30-6:00pm ET
WHERE: Lafayette Park, Washington, D.C. (In front of the White House); in case of severe weather, contact Robyn Shapiro for alternative details
LIVESTREAM: www.foodandwaterwatch.org/resistanceaddress
RSVP: To RSVP for the media availability, contact Robyn Shapiro, robyn.shapiro@berlinrosen.com, 201.819.2526
Note: Organizers noted that the address and rally will feature various parts of the resistance but certainly not all of the resistance, which takes many forms and is far larger than can fit into one event.
For News Crews:
There are no tripods allowed by the park service. All cameras must be carried (hand or shoulder)
Equipment cannot be stored under the stage
Equipment cannot be left unattended
Cables must be covered with matting in a cable trough
Everything that has to be carried in has to go on stage if it's not moving around with a person, there are no places for storage
