Editors’ Note: Some sources in this article are referred to by just their first name. 

How many protests does it take to make change?

“Nobody knows,” answered Eric, a Santa Cruz resident of over 50 years. “It depends on the change that’s being called for.”

Thousands of people showed up for the third nationwide “No Kings” protest, organized by Indivisible Santa Cruz last Saturday to advocate for political change as tensions continue to rise globally, and in the United States. In Santa Cruz, masses of demonstrators gathered at San Lorenzo Park, with crowds streaming down Dakota Avenue and onto Soquel Drive.

Those who attended the demonstration protested for a variety of reasons, including the Trump Administration’s recent attacks on Iran, executive orders against the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities as well as the increase of ICE raids. 

For Kelly Nader, a teacher who was born-and-raised in Santa Cruz, this protest was personal.

“I’m married to a Latino immigrant,” she said. “Fortunately, he recently got his citizenship, so that gave us some sense of security. But even so, in this climate, especially the way Latine people are being targeted, I worry for him. It affects me on a personal level, but just as a human, seeing the way people are being treated, it’s unconscionable.”

Marchers chant and raise signs with various phrases such as “Rise up. Resist. Reclaim.” Photos by Reggie Sasaki.

Leah Bosworth, another demonstrator and Santa Cruz resident, noted that the demonstration was a call for all Americans’ equal rights.

“Equality is something that’s really important to me, and that’s equality across the board. If you’re talking about race, gender, sexuality, everything, people seem to fear that in today’s government, and we see a lot of that,” she said. “My point is that if you’re a quality person, then you’re not afraid of equality and you fight for it.” 


After a series of speeches at San Lorenzo Park, the crowd marched across the bridge on Soquel Avenue, down Pacific Avenue, and looped back to the park. While many people dispersed after the initial march, several stayed to chant and protest in the streets. 

Attendees find different ways to protest, including with signs or costumes. Photos by Bryce Chen.

According to Eric, the “No Kings” protests have brought the Santa Cruz community together to address injustices, as it has in the past during the Iraq War in 2016 and the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. 

With this outcry being the third of its kind, and growing quickly, it is clear that the American people want to speak. Millions marched through the streets in various towns and cities across America on March 28, to say, “No Kings.” For Bosworth, “No Kings” is a resistance that requires persistence. 

“Showing up is important no matter what,” she said. “You have to keep on going … Wherever you are, you need to stand up.”