Francis Howell North 2024 student walkout protesting the removal of Black History courses.

Mass-action protests, known as the ‘Hands Off!’ protest, have recently erupted across the country in response to the political economical actions taken by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Many demonstrators have described their actions as authoritative and oligarchic, citing recent government downsizing and the imposing of global tariffs. Nearby, the communities of St. Louis even organized their own Hands Off protests, with hundreds of demonstrators marching down to the St. Louis City Hall. On a more local scale, hundreds lined the streets of St. Charles and Brentwood. 

The demonstrators’ message is clear: they want the government’s hands off their rights and out of democracy. Regardless, these ongoing protests were met swiftly with criticism, as many believe that standing outside with signs may appear pitiful to those in power and hold little sway. However, with these recent protests and the government’s path to despotism becoming more apparent, we must remind ourselves of why collective action matters.

To understand the power of collective action, we must first understand community. As American civil rights activist Audre Lorde once said, “Without community, there is no liberation.” In modern protest, shared commonalities and purpose make up a community. We should recognize that community forms the foundation of movements, and protests can use that foundation when change seems impossible. 

History has repeatedly shown us that community and collective action are the first steps toward meaningful change. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, a landmark piece of legislation, is, for instance, a prominent example of the country’s Civil Rights Movement. That movement, too, began at the community level with the Montgomery Bus Boycott. It drew Martin Luther King Jr. to protest in favor of Rosa Parks. Then, it became a series of organized sit-ins, marches, and boycotts. It was the ordinary folk of Montgomery who became organizers and demonstrators to hold their contemporary systems of power accountable, and who joined as a community to create change. History shows that protests paramountly change our institutions, and are a great way to combat social injustices.

Furthermore, collective action and community raise awareness, particularly within different communities. This is not exclusive to the United States. Across the globe, the stories of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the Indian social activist whose Salt March Protest of March-April 1930 defied seemingly unassailable British rule in India, have spread. Fueled by anger over the British-imposed salt tax, Gandhi’s followers began their protest. However, as the march continued, crowds became increasingly larger, communities merged, and more people recognized that what the British were doing was wrong. 

Today, our own small communities are where the current Hand Off! protests are beginning. It starts with smaller cities. Next, it spreads to larger areas, rapidly achieving national awareness. And the stakes are no less real. Cuts to essential programs like Medicaid and Social Security, the dismantling of the department of education, and erosion of immigrant protections and policies that impact marginalized groups. And although the effects may not arrive as legislation or loss of a spot in the political playhouse, it at least brings awareness. 

It’s clear: any act of demonstration can and will make an impact. And right now, with the overarching dominance of the administration and steady feelings of hopelessness arising, we cannot afford to remain passive. The act of assembly has always been here, and it has always led to substantial change. It’s how we became a nation, after all. Doing something always matters more than doing nothing.