Community members gathering at Maplewood Mall, on the Greene St. side. (Photo: Rasheed Z. Ajamu)
“All power to the people, and no power to these kings!”
That was the message Germantown poet LindoYes roared to community members at this past Saturday’s “No Kings” rally in Germantown.
He was one of over 45 people who showed up at Maplewood Mall between 4 and 6 p.m., for an intimate, but important, display of solidarity with others across the city — and the nation.
The “No Kings” motto emphasizes that the United States is a nation belonging to the people and that no one is above the law. That particularly includes President Donald J. Trump, whom ralliers agree has enacted abuse of power.
From waging war to misogynistic remarks to racist X imagery, rally organizer and Germantowner Michael Cogbill told ralliers, “We have a lot of harm to undo.” That harm, he said, will take more than 20 years to undo.
“What’s going on nationally is not just disruptive on social media—it literally enters your body,” he shouted. “It makes you feel strange, and it does something to your mental health… that stuff ruins your nervous system.”
Cogbill, also a candidate for the PA State Senate 4th District seat, underscored that these rallies are the first steps in a larger strategy to “take back democracy.” He encouraged ralliers to look out for other actions, like phonebanking and postcarding, in the weeks to come.
12-22 Committee person candidate Anders J. “The Better” Fetterman also stepped up to the mic to say a few words, echoing Cogbill’s sentiments.
While neighbors can’t have an immediate impact on places like Iran, Fetterman said local shifts and changes are just as important. “Here is where we can do something, [whether through] grassroots organizations or anti-ICE committees,” he suggested to ralliers.
Community members from across Northwest Philly gathered for different personal reasons, united in a collective stand for democracy. The Germantown Info Hub (GIH) got to chat with some about their personal motivations and how they imagine more power building in the coming years.
One-year Germantown resident Amadee Braxton showed up because she believes there’s “rising fascism in our country.” For her, showing up and expressing dissent is essential.
She highlights the impacts on veterans as one of her top motivators, with veterans in her family and work vicinity. But she names several popular topics stemming from or connecting to the highest office in the nation.
“The Epstein files [or] the fact that we’re spending money to support the billionaire class when we don’t have healthcare or a living wage. There’s so many things we need, like funding for our schools… infrastructure… support for people who have disabilities… and why are we doing this foolishness in the Middle East?”
More personally, she’s felt some impacts on her livelihood. Working regularly with a non-profit, the recent federal cuts have affected the prospect of Braxton being hired and contracted.
12-15 Committee person candidate Kevin T. Zuber spoke with GIH about the importance of strengthening democracy. He said, “We don’t want to backslide and allow our children to not see some of the possibilities that we were able to achieve, even though it was never perfect.”
He’s observed the job crisis having a lingering effect around him.
“Significantly, a lot of my family and friends are unable to afford some of the basic things to allow them to continue moving on… We’re all struggling to bring food on the table; We keep seeing increases on our utilities.”
These circumstances have enticed the Germantowner to run for committeeperson, explaining that local-level change is vital.
“Making sure we get in people that represent the goals, the values, the core values that we have to ensure that if they do have dreams to get to the federal level, that they will definitely make the changes that we all strive for.
To increase local civic power, Zuber suggests getting involved in things like RCOs, working with your neighborhood CDC, knocking on doors, and getting off the “sidelines.”
Liz Ryan and Matthew Nissen came over from Manyunk to the rally. Ryan was devastated to see recent events in Minnesota, where U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently shot and killed protestors, as it’s where she was born and raised.
“I feel like it was my responsibility to, wherever I’m at, to get involved in the community and come out and protest,” she said.
For Nissen, “No Kings” means “respective the rule of law… and the Constitution.”
“Some of the most basic things I’ve seen is Trump deciding not to allocate funds the way that Congress has allocated them,” he told GIH. “And that’s just the most textbook, unconstitutional thing I can think of.”
Both graduate students, Nissen adds, “The defunding of science is so much scarier than people are talking about. It’s so much harder to get grants.” He details how words centered on diversity and progressivism need to be cut to gain consideration.
The two agree that voting, joining local initiatives, and demanding more of local officials are some of the most basic ways to build and exercise power.
Away from the crowd, Cogbill told GIH it was important to ensure Germantown was amongst the list of places to hold a rally, pointing to historical legacies like the 1688 First Written Protest Against Slavery.
Locally, he’s seen the current administration’s impact on affordability, whether gas, groceries, or other essentials. “I started off the year behind on my rent,” he added.
His key to building power: patience.
“You can’t build power in a night… You’ve got to keep organizing, keep being passionate about the work, [and] keep showing up,” Cogbill told GIH.
“And I think we’ll all build the power that we need to reclaim our democracy.”
Rasheed Z. Ajamu is Germantown Info Hub‘s engagement reporter. Their work blends service journalism with a place-based lens, tracking how local policy, development, arts + culture, and neighborhood institutions shape neighbors’ everyday lives. They’re also invested in community archiving and public media projects that help neighbors preserve and share Germantown stories.