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More than 20 Portola Valley residents attended a protest in San Jose on Feb. 17 as part of a nationwide movement called “Not My President’s Day.”
The protest, organized by Fifty Fifty One, a grassroots organization, was part of a movement protesting the actions of President Donald Trump. According to a local activist and organizer, JoAnn Loulan, about 3,000 people attended the demonstration in front of Circle of Palms Plaza.
Indivisible Portola Valley, a group of local Democrats, participated in the protest. The group formed in 2017 when Trump was first elected, said Loulan, who also co-founded the Democratic Messaging Project, a grassroots political action committee focused on messaging efforts in swing states.
“I and everyone in our group, believe that it’s up to us as privileged people to stand up for people who don’t have a voice, who are terrified and afraid,” she added.
Protesters held signs reading “MAKE AMERICAN TRUSTWORTHY AGAIN” and “WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION, NOT A KING.”
According to Loulan, the political group is concerned about a range of issues, including the lives of many undocumented workers, research funding at universities and hospitals and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health policies. She also cited the administration’s attempts to eliminate the Department of Education.
Loulan said she believes “it’s imperative for other privileged communities, such as Woodside, Menlo Park and Palo Alto,” to also engage in political activism.
Portola Valley residents have been known for their persistent political actions. In 2021, during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, the community held a demonstration every Sunday morning for 15 months, said Loulan.
“There are so many people in this town that care so passionately about rights, for people that aren’t them, that really believe in the truth and getting it out there,” she said.
