Inspired by the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, East Texas community members gathered Thursday evening at the corner of Broadway Avenue and Shiloh Road to take part in the national Good Trouble movement, marking five years since Lewis’ passing.

The local rally was organized by the National Organization for Women (NOW) and focused on civil rights, voting access, and social justice. Although turnout was modest, spirits were high as participants held signs, waved to passing drivers, and called for continued activism in the spirit of Lewis’ famous call to “get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

“We are out here to fight for our rights and the rights that are often taken away from women, immigrants, people of color,” said Sophia Miller, a NOW volunteer. “We want them to feel seen and heard.”

Lewis, a longtime U.S. Congressman from Georgia, played a key role in major civil rights events of the 1960s, including the March on Washington and the Selma to Montgomery marches. He was famously beaten during the “Bloody Sunday” march in Selma while peacefully advocating for voting rights. Known as “the conscience of Congress,” Lewis spent his life championing nonviolent protest and justice. His legacy lives on in movements like Thursday’s rally.

“I don’t want to forget his memory… and I don’t want people to forget it,” Athens resident Debbie Standifer said. “I just wanted to be out here to support and continue that legacy of civil rights and freedoms for everyone.”

Standifier traveled to Tyler specifically for the rally as she felt compelled to show up because she had been “saddened by the way things have been going.”

“Our rights, our freedoms, our benefits are being whittled away, and it seems like nobody is standing up,” she said.

While similar rallies have previously drawn criticism, Miller said this event was rooted in unity and advocacy for those often left out of the conversation.

“Even though there’s a lot going on right now in the world, in America specifically, a lot of divisiveness, a lot of hatred, we want people to know that we are here,” she said. “We are trying to speak up for the voices of marginalized people.” 

Unlike some past demonstrations, the rally did not include direct mention of President Donald Trump’s administration — a decision organizers said was intentional, aimed at keeping focus on the issues rather than partisan debate.

“This isn’t an anti-Trump situation or rally,” Miller said. “It’s just to have our voices heard, fight for democracy and equality for everyone without calling attention to him or anyone else in the administration.”

The Good Trouble movement has sparked hundreds of events nationwide today, continuing to highlight the importance of voting rights, racial justice, and equality — issues that organizers say remain urgent here in Tyler and across the country.

“We’re not going to stop fighting,” Miller said. “It’s a good fight. We’re going to keep showing up and calling people to action to make things better.”

Earlier in the day, Indivisible Smith County led a banner drop and protest over the Interstate 20 & FM 849 bridge near the Hideaway community. Organizers say the event was held as a way to stand united against efforts to restrict voting rights, criminalize communities, and cut public programs.

Other rallies were held in communities across the region.

Looking ahead, on Thursday, July 24, a screening and discussion of the documentary John Lewis: Good Trouble will take place at Tyler’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, located at 1629 Old Omen Road in Tyler. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the film starting at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to honor Lewis’ legacy through reflection and conversation.