On Monday Feb. 17, a Presidents Day protest erupted in North Hollywood as demonstrators joined in union against the Trump Administration and the political ‘takeover’ by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Organized by 50501 , a decentralized movement against the Trump Administration, a flood of protestors packed North Hollywood Park. Throughout the day, protesters held signs condemning Musks’ government involvement while speeches denounced Trump’s executive orders.
Surrounded by demonstrators and voices in defiance, CA State Organizer Emily Williams and her crew of 50501 members guided people through the rally. As the coordinator of the protest, Williams understood the influence Southern California can have with unity and resistance.
“The issues here in Southern California are as real as everywhere else,” Williams explained. “But this is the best way to get people to feel like-minded. After the elections and the fires, it is important for Southern Californians to be together.”
As shown through the diverse set of protestors, William’s intentions proved to be the case. At the heart of the march was Anna Douville, a passionate protestor at the rally. Holding her sign ‘Trans Rights are Human Rights’, Douville marched to push back on certain policies from the Trump Administration.
On Jan. 27, President Trump signed an executive order that bans transgender people from enlisting in the military, a policy introduced during Trump’s first term in 2017.
“It does not affect me personally,” Douville said. “But as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I can be affected. It will start with trans people and it’ll start to trickle down.”
As Douville continued marching, the passionate energy grew further down the line of demonstrators, drawing invested spectators into the demonstrations. At the forefront, Chrisa Kirchner, a retired school teacher, marched for her own message—resisting mass deportation.
To stand out amidst the crowd, Kirchner dressed as the Mad Hatter from “Alice in Wonderland”, holding a teacup-shaped sign using data from the New York Times. Kirchner displays the financial burden that mass deportation will have—an estimated cost of $57,000 per detainee. Kirchner uses these numbers as her own antidote against the Trump Administration.
“The arguments that Trump and Vance used to win the election were anti-data,” Kirchner said. “In other words, they didn’t tell us. When [Trump] says, ‘deport immigrants’ we’re actually gonna spend two billion dollars in imprisonment.”
Although data alone does not capture attention, Kirchner hopes her costume and this protest can appeal to the audiences at home.
“We need to keep resistance in the media. I make a spectacle of myself to send a real message.” said Kirchner
As Kirchner and the crowd moved forward, crossing the street towards Tujunga Ave, Jacki Weber stopped incoming cars and directed the movement of protestors. Despite her role as a director of development at another human rights organization, Weber felt motivated to volunteer at this rally and help manage the large crowd.
“What is happening in this country is unbelievable,” Weber said. “It’s gonna take rising up and a lot of people in the streets to make a change.”
Although new for her, Weber felt compelled to participate as those around her were directly affected by the new executive orders.
“I’ve got friends, colleagues, and coworkers under direct threat,” Weber noted. “They’re tearing down departments that maintain social security and medicaid, affecting people that need it.”
Weber’s concerns come from executive orders targeting Social Security and Medicaid. Social Security Head Michelle King stepped down after denying DOGE access for personal data. Consequently, as the Social Security office is already understaffed, many Social Security recipients can expect delays on their checks. Meanwhile, Republican officials have proposed cuts in Medicaid, affecting future healthcare plans for millions of Americans.
As Weber worried about her coworkers, others feared the financial uncertainties from the Trump Administration. Further along in the crowd, Bobby Klipinger, a 30-year-old entrepreneur, walked alongside the wave of protesters. Like most people on that day, Klipinger came to rally because of President Trump’s Executive Orders—primarily those focused on foreign trade barriers.
“I work in the tech industry and a lot of business models rely on affordable trade,” Klipinger said. “[The Executive Orders] directly impacts my business. We might have to rethink our place in the United States.”
As the march was approaching the end, protestors regrouped at North Hollywood Park. Various chants echoed across different corners of the park as individuals protested for change and reformation. Solidarity among Southern California peaked on Monday afternoon.
