No Kings Day in the Bronx
Despite some trees in bloom, it was a cold day in the Bronx on Saturday, March 28. That didn’t deter a crowd of over 400 people from turning out for the Bronx No Kings Day. The gathering was held at Lou Gehrig Plaza, directly across from the courthouse and a 3-minute walk from Yankee Stadium. I could see the street sign for the Grand Concourse, where my mother grew up.
I arrived early. The House of Jax, a well-known Bronx DJ operation, was getting the sound system and vibe in order. The event was organized by NW Bronx Indivisible, which handled logistics and curated a lineup of speakers featuring the district’s top elected officials and community activists. Co-sponsors included the Working Families Power, New York Progressive Action Network (NYPAN), NYCD16/15 (Full disclosure: I am a member), and two Bronx Democratic political clubs.
Surveying the area, I noticed a table with printed materials set up at the bottom of the plaza. It featured information on Jose Vega, a two-time challenger to incumbent Congressman Ritchie Torres. The campaign coordinator informed me that even if Vega lost the primary, he would be “running as an independent.”
Midway to the speakers’ platform and off to the side, Bernadette Forward was creating “balloon crowns,” which I later saw atop the heads of both children and adults. Forward said, “Power to the people! No Kings!” Then she added, “We need to bring some joy. Joy is a form of resistance.”
Extreme concern about the diminishment of citizens’ rights was expressed by everyone I interviewed. The war in Iran, the desire to be physically present as part of a larger community, and meeting others pushing back against the Trump regime were repeatedly invoked.
Gay Rosenblum-Kumar told me, “I’m distraught about what Trump is doing here and around the world. He’s totally broken the Constitution. I’m here to be part of the resistance.”
Health rights advocate and an organizer of the day’s rally, Helen Krim, said, “We chose this site because of the importance of the Grand Concourse in the history of the Bronx and the importance of the Bronx County Courthouse as a symbol of the rule of law in the Bronx.”
That exact sentiment was echoed by Donna LeBron, a Kingsbridge resident. She said, “It’s horrible that the rule of law is not being adhered to by parts of the government and that people are suffering.” Also expressed was the need for “affordable housing,” “ICE Out,” and disgust with a war that has not been approved by Congress.
Signs encompassed the messages, “Thank you, Minnesota, for Your Courage,” “Stop Fascism,” and “No Police State!” One canine in attendance sported the placard, “Dogs for Democracy.”
Yellow-vested safety marshals and orange-vested organizers were on hand to ensure everything proceeded smoothly. There were plenty of relaxed beat cops on the sidelines.
Promptly at 2:30 p.m., the House of Jax announced, “Put your hands in the air! Show them how we do it in the Bronx! Who’s ready to get this started?”
The program began, led by Melissa Martinez and Ramdat Singh. Passing cars honked horns in support. Martinez announced, “Power belongs to the people.” Roberta Todd, a vice president of Our Bronx and a leader in the North West Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, led a moment of silence, flanked by clergy from various denominations. She asked for “prayers for those in the world harmed by the actions of the U.S. government.” Todd concluded with a recitation of the word “peace” in different languages.
Borough President Vanessa Gibson was first up. “Thanks for standing in unity. We deserve to live in a democracy. We stand against ICE.” The crowd cheered in response. She continued, “There are attacks on safety nets that the Bronx depends on. The Bronx is filled with fighters.” She ended with, “We are together in this work.”
Continuing the call for action, Councilwoman Althea Stevens declared, “I stand here today grounded in those who came before me. There are no kings in this country. We demand our voices to be heard.” She referenced the fight for freedom dating back to the era of slavery. Reflecting on how most voters presumed they wouldn’t be impacted by the Trump regime, Stevens pointed out, “Too many people were comfortable saying, ‘It’s not going to be me.’ ”
Emérita Torres, Assemblywoman for the 85th A.D. in the South Bronx, decisively verbalized her take. “Our democracy runs on accountability, not Trump’s ego.” Torres recounted her career background, which included ten years in the U.S. State Department and several tours of diplomatic service. She discussed how tariffs and trade policy impact all Americans and become a “local issue.” Her evaluation of Trump’s handling of these matters was, “He runs it like a reality show.” On Trump’s Iran debacle, Torres said, “War has to be a last resort.”
Following these remarks, the Singing Resistance Choir took the stage to lead everyone in a responsive music set in English and Spanish, providing an invigorating break before the final speakers.
New York City Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez, the daughter of Dominican immigrants, tackled the fear of ICE within the borough. “ICE is here today,” she said. “And we send you a strong message. GET OUT!” She advised people to get trained on their rights.
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz mentioned the reality of ICE lurking outside local hospitals. He also told the story of district resident Dillion Lopez Contreras, a high school student who was under threat of being deported to Venezuela during the period he had been held in a detention center for ten months. He was released in March.
Advocates at the forefront of progressive initiatives in education, the environment, criminal justice, and health rights drilled down on the hyperlocal challenges to residents.
Leslie Vasquez, who works in the environmental justice space, shared that the Bronx has the highest asthma rate in New York City and is known as “Asthma Alley.” Edwin Santana tackled the fight to close Rikers Island jail, reminding people, “We fought to keep ICE out of Rikers, and we won!”
A key concern Carrie Tracy, the Senior Director of Health Initiatives at Community Service Society (CSS), raised was the possibility that a wide swath of Bronxites would lose their health care coverage on July 1 if no aggressive action was taken. “Healthcare is a human right,” she pronounced. “Call the Governor!” Tracy notified those gathered that Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and State Senator Gustavo Rivera (S.9589) were working on bills to protect medical coverage taken away by Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill, HR 1.
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) was represented by Amaretta Mathai, who was adamant about her organization’s commitment to “equal justice for all.” She stated, “There will be no warehouses in our community.” She ticked off the number of lawsuits the NYCLU has put into play against the Trump agenda, and underscored the ongoing fight “for birthright citizenship.”
Perhaps it was fitting that the final speaker was Gustavo Rivera, the popular State Senator who always has a joke to lighten the atmosphere. However, on Saturday, his comments were intense and heartfelt.
“Despair is an easy place to go when you are by yourself,” Rivera began. “Being with other people is how we succeed. These are the folks who chose to show up today.” His staff circulated two bilingual cards. One outlined procedures for using whistle signals to alert others to the presence of ICE. The other was “Know Your Rights,” which shared resources and had responses to hand to an agent if approached. He also advised about “Private Room” strategies for businesses.
“We need to sabotage the actions of the federal government,” Rivera stressed. “We refuse to turn our backs on neighbors. This is a long-term thing.” His closing comments summed up the ethos of the No Kings movement:
“Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something. Do a little bit every day.”
Photos: Marcia G. Yerman
