Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Bundled beneath multiple layers with a hot drink cupped in her hands, Chelsz Scott made their way to the James M. Hanley Federal Building, ready to speak out for an array of issues they stood for, such as protecting animal rights and reforming the police system. Despite the freezing temperatures, Scott wanted to make sure their voice was heard.

Scott, an anthropology and sociology professor at Jamestown and Onondaga Community College, was one of around 100 attendees during Monday’s “We Fight Back” rally, joining marchers across the globe in protesting President Donald Trump’s agenda while his inauguration took place in Washington, D.C.

“I have a lot of feelings about a lot of issues,” Scott said. “I feel like we’re out here using our voice the way we do because we love our country.”

As the nation celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, representatives from nine organizations and individual marchers gathered in downtown Syracuse to protest against many of Trump planned policies, from mass deportations to limiting LGBTQ+ rights.

Speakers from organizing groups – including the Syracuse Peace Council, Jewish Voice for Peace Syracuse and the Party for Socialism and Liberation – shed light on their focused issues. Dana Carmelli, a member of JVP, said marching with the community meant continuing her organization’s efforts to fight for Palestinian rights.

“Trump’s promise does not mean we should continue on with business as usual. The Palestine Solidarity Movement was never about the ceasefire. It’s not about going back to how things were in September 2023,” Carmelli said. “Organizing under the new Trump administration will be organizing under different parameters we are not yet familiar with.”

Speakers also highlighted the causes of other groups present, discussing the intersectionality of issues including the recent ceasefire deal in the Israel-Hamas war and the housing crisis in central New York.

They also discussed increasing representation of marginalized groups and promoting a more equitable economy. Throughout their remarks, all of the speakers emphasized the importance of working together to facilitate change.

“We gather today, not as isolated individuals, but as part of something larger, a community, a movement, a shared humanity, and it is vital now more than ever that we recognize the thread that binds us together, the struggle for dignity, equality and justice,” Tammy Honeywell, co-chair of Syracuse Democratic Socialists of America, said.

Sean Sterling | Staff Photographer

Protesters in Syracuse on MLK Jr. Day held signs addressing both President Trump’s policies and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The rally featured messages of solidarity for human rights alongside calls for justice and equality across various issues.

Following the speeches, organizers and participants marched for a block around Clinton Square, holding up signs and chanting objections to Trump’s new administration and stances.

Hayden Reynolds, a student at Onondaga Community College, said participating in the march meant standing up for transgender and abortion rights, which have been hot button issues throughout Trump’s reelection campaign.

Though Reynolds said she was overwhelmed by the march, she said the turnout of like-minded protesters standing together was what made the overall experience an impactful one.

“I’m a trans student who’s really worried about our lives as Americans. I can’t even find words for it,” Reynolds said. “I think we need to stand out and show everybody that we’re not going to be silent when they try to take our rights away or come after our friends and family.”

For Julia Ivanick, a volunteer organizer, the march offered an opportunity to speak out against Syracuse’s child poverty rate. The city ranked as having the nation’s worst rate among larger cities in December, with over 13,600 children living below the city’s poverty line from 2019 to 2023.

By educating attendees, Ivanick said she hopes the estimated child poverty rate of 45.6% will change.

“Syracuse has the highest homelessness rate for children, and I’m here to let the larger community know about how important this is,” Ivanick said.

Xander Pitts, a member of the Hamilton College Students for Justice and Palestine, traveled almost an hour to the march to support his cause and connect with other protestors. He said these gatherings offer chances to build a united front among the different organizations.

“I hope to see more solidarity among different groups. This is a great show of how people of varied interests can come together for a united cause, and I hope to see more of that in the future,” Pitts said.

As the march coincided with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, many sponsors looked toward the prominent figure to gather support within the community.

“The path ahead will not be easy. It never is. But history shows us that when ordinary people unite, we can achieve the extraordinary together,” Honeywell, from SDSA, said. “Dr. King once said, ‘We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.’ Let us take that lesson to heart. Let us remember that no one is free until all of us are free.”

Published on January 20, 2025 at 11:09 pm