Good Trouble Lives On—A Nation Marches for John Lewis and Democracy
Today, I want to talk about something powerful that’s happening all across the country—and even around the world. On July 17th, communities in over 1,600 cities, including small islands like ours, are stepping into the streets, the parks, the beaches, and public squares not just to remember a man—but to carry on a legacy. That man is Congressman John Lewis, and his legacy is one of unwavering courage in the fight for civil rights, justice, and democracy.
This national wave of action isn’t just about looking back. It’s about stepping up. People from Chicago to Oaxaca, and yes, right here in the San Juan Islands, are answering the call to get into what Lewis so famously called “Good Trouble.” It’s a tribute, yes—but it’s also a statement: we won’t sit quietly while voter suppression rises, civil liberties are threatened, and economic justice is eroded.
In Chicago, there’ll be a mass march ending with a candlelight vigil in Daley Plaza. In Atlanta, marchers will gather and walk to Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King once preached and Lewis learned the roots of resistance. On Orcas Island, there’s an open mic and film screening; on Lopez, a peaceful vigil. Here on San Juan, we’re creating a human heart on the beach—an image we hope will send a loud message to the nation that even the smallest communities have big voices when united by purpose.
Speakers like Betty Magness and Celina Stewart are reminding us that this isn’t just symbolic. Voting rights are under attack—again. The same kinds of oppressive tactics Lewis faced on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 are creeping back in modern forms: restrictive ID laws, polling closures, redistricting games. What’s worse is that instead of protecting vulnerable voters, the current administration is using the machinery of government—ICE raids, National Guard deployment, policy rollbacks—to suppress the people’s voice.
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And that’s why we march.
Because Lewis didn’t just march once in Selma. He kept going for decades, in the halls of Congress, in communities, in every place where democracy needed a voice. He believed that America is still becoming. That the dream isn't finished. And neither is our work.
The events on July 17 mark five years since we lost Lewis—but his presence is stronger than ever. Organizers estimate over 400,000 people are participating, and the momentum is only growing. As one speaker said, this is not a one-day thing. It’s a long haul. It’s a recommitment to build a country that truly serves all its people—not just the powerful and privileged.
So whether you're marching, speaking, signing petitions, or just holding a sign with one of Lewis’s famous quotes, you are part of something bigger. You’re helping shape the story of our nation, just like Lewis did—with courage, purpose, and yes, a little Good Trouble.
Let’s not just remember John Lewis. Let’s be John Lewis.
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