Peace rally attendees in Geneva Saturday prevail through rain

Chicago Tribune

2 days ago

Ann Wilson of Geneva wanted to help raise awareness within her community about things she finds unacceptable in our country today and felt that coming out to a peace rally in the rain this past Saturday morning was a way to do it.
'I've been to like my fifth or sixth rally that I've come to now, and I feel these are making a difference,' Wilson said as rain fell heavily just before 11:30 a.m. 'I feel like this draws attention to things and people are willing to speak out and maybe we can change some minds.'
Saturday in Geneva brought together hundreds as the grass roots Fox Valley-based We Can Lead Change group gathered along south Randall Road and Gleneagle Drive in Geneva for a rally/protest called 'Together for Justice.'
The 90-minute event represented the 10th held by the group, and they have continued to draw thousands, organizers said.
Ellen Ljung of Geneva, one of the 10-member steering committee that leads the organization, spoke an hour before the start of the rally, which was already threatening to be cancelled due to severe weather.
'This is our 10th rally and people keep asking for them and so – we just do it. We have raincoats, we've done it [rallies] in bitter cold but people are asking for the opportunity to come together and we're getting people that have never been involved before,' Ljung said. 'When we started, we had 300 people on April 5th and our No Kings event had close to 10,000 people. I think today will be small because of the weather and it's not a national thing but we're talking thousands that have gotten involved. We're not small anymore.'
Ljung spoke about the impact of the rallies on national government officials and said despite being locally based, 'They are having an effect.'
'We are giving people a way to connect and to show them our initiatives and to help people get involved,' she said. 'I think the sense of pressure is being felt by Washington because it's not just us – it's nationwide. A lot of the rallies have been on nationally-designated days and I feel the pressure is being felt. I also think it's absolutely critical for people to have an outlet to work for change.'
Ljung noted that the group also offers educational programs and initiatives and 'has written representatives about the latest budget bill.'
'We've written senators and the Supreme Court asking them to protect due process,' she said. 'We worked on immigrations and met with libraries and school superintendents. Our goal is to bring people together to work for change. I'm 78 now and I never thought we'd be doing this in the last chapter of our life, but the only way to make change happen is grassroots organizing. What we do here in Kane County is a drop-in-the-bucket, but we're filling buckets around the nation and that pressure will come to bear.'
Despite an 11:30 a.m. official start time, supporters were already present an hour before and drew plenty of honking horns and cheers as motorists drove by.
Rain and lightning forced an early cancellation just before noon but not before Wilson and others in attendance had their say.
'We had 10,000 people at the Kings Rally we had and then we did the bridge rally with 5,000 on the Geneva Bridge,' Wilson said. 'This is a good way to build community and maybe fight.'
Pamela O' Brien of Batavia sat under an umbrella and said she has been 'at every rally since [President] Trump was elected.'
'I was at a lot of the other ones – maybe eight or 10 altogether and when I know something is coming up – I cancel everything else I'm doing because I feel it's the most important thing to do right now,' she said. 'I'm surprised when other people don't.'
O'Brien said looking back on the rallies she has attended, 'I see an engaged yet peaceful group of people, very passionate about keeping democracy.'
'It's a very diverse group of people as well as all kinds of issues – everything from young people afraid of what the future will bring to someone from Mexico,' she said. 'Community wise – compared to when the presidential election was over – there's been much more engagement. This whole Randall Road is touching more people and they are starting to wake up.'
JoAnn Vanthournout of St. Charles, 92, attended her first rally and admitted 'I never thought I'd be a protestor at my age.'
'I never thought someone we have as president would be elected. I remember the Vietnam protests and it does feel at least like I'm trying,' she said. 'I was afraid at first but they said I could bring a chair. I'd like to come again but I'd prefer it not be raining.'
Denise Ward of Geneva said this was her sixth rally and was encouraged by the turnout despite the rain.
'These rallies are making a difference,' she insisted. 'At least it shows we're not going to sit here and let things happen.'