OK, we didn’t actually ask Bass the mini therapy pony why he was there

Jordan and Patricia
Jordan and Patricia, both participants in the protest, shared their motivations for attending. Jordan expressed a straightforward opposition to harmful behavior, while Patricia emphasized the importance of human dignity and solidarity. She explained, “I care about people and the people around me, and you know, we’re all human, and so we should be treated as such.”
When asked about the impact of gathering, Patricia highlighted the emotional and psychological significance of the event. She said that witnessing “like minded people” provides hope amid troubling national events and emphasized an inclusive message: “no one’s alone, and that’s what I want people to know too. Yeah, even those that can’t come out, we can and we will.” For her, collective action serves as a reminder that despite the challenges reported in the news, community solidarity persists and individuals are not isolated in their concerns.

Liv
Liv, an elementary school student, walked out of school to protest current conditions in America. She explained that she doesn’t like “the America that we’re living in” and envisions a different future. She described her vision for change: “I want to live in an America where people can be safe and people can have better lives, and where people can, like, not be scared by coming into America.”

Nathan
Nathan, a student at Seattle Central, attended the protest because he sees it as a crucial moment for mobilization. Describing himself as a revolutionary, Nathan emphasized the importance of visible demonstrations near City Hall. “When the government’s not afraid of you, you don’t get your policy passed. That’s tyranny,” Nathan said. “When they’re afraid of you, that’s when you start to see change that you want to see.” Drawing on his experience in media, Nathan explained that he once used his platform to “wake people up,” but eventually realized that real change requires grassroots action. He argued that “we got to build the numbers. We got to be all on the message,” emphasizing that “real raw numbers, like people actually showing up, getting stuff done,” are what drive change. He believes “everything else is superficial,” as leaders will only make cosmetic changes unless faced with genuine pressure from the public. However, Nathan expressed caution regarding the movement’s direction. He acknowledged concerns about co-optation, noting that some protests become “funded by all of the villains that we should be protesting.” Despite these worries, the sincere participants who show up give him “cautious optimism.” He concluded that while he is wary of being “dragged out by the wrong messenger,” the movement’s success depends on scale: “We need those numbers. We need the people.”

Captain America
A costumed 25-year-old protester explained his motivation for participating, stating that there are “fascists in the government, and when there’s fascists in the government, you need someone to stand up for them.” He expressed a deep commitment to the cause, stating he is “willing to stand up, and if I’m the only one, then so be it,” though he remains confident others share his convictions. When asked about the purpose of protests, Captain America emphasized their broader social function. He explained that “it’s important for people to see other people that know what’s going on is wrong, and that are doing as much as they can, individually and collectively to help more people understand, help people mobilize, to help people build community.” For him, protests demonstrate collective awareness while working toward meaningful change.

Garrett
Garrett joined Tuesday’s march because he believes “our democracy is crumbling” and “fascists are taking over.” He expressed deep concern about current leadership, stating there is “a murderer and a pedophile in the White House” who is “destroying not only the country, but world order” and “setting civilization back decades, maybe more.” When asked about the purpose of protesting, Garrett explained that it helps him feel productive at a time when traditional institutions have failed. Being out in a protest “makes me feel like I’m doing something, since Congress is essentially absent and the court is completely partisan now.” Beyond personal fulfillment, he emphasized the symbolic importance of mass participation, noting that protests “keep the narrative going that it’s the people that have the power, and we need to show up in mass.” Garrett stressed the need for a “critical mass,” stating, “we need at least 5% of the population to be protesting to have an effect.” He called for broad participation across all sectors of society, adding, “we need everybody… everyone is in a position of power, like churches, corporations, to join in the protest to save what’s left.”

Andrea
Andrea is marching because she believes “Fascism is taking over America” and wants to “do my part to stand up against it.” She stressed the importance of civic participation, noting that “if the people don’t do anything, who’s left to do something.” While she acknowledged that marches may have a limited direct impact, Andrea sees value in their broader purpose. She explained that protests are “in so many different locations” by design, ensuring that “everybody has their own little communities standing up” and creating solidarity among participants. Drawing on her experience with Black Lives Matter activism where she participated in weekly demonstrations, Andrea reflected that despite the sustained effort, “it didn’t actually do anything” in terms of concrete policy change. However, she valued the conversations that emerged, recalling meaningful discussions with people who questioned the movement’s messaging. To her, “that was kind of awesome.” Ultimately, Andrea believes that showing up matters even when activism doesn’t produce measurable results. Her presence had value because “it meant something to someone to see you out there.”