Two marches, one message: Modestans rallied for rights ahead of Trump’s Inauguration
.jpg "Marchers at the Women’s March in Modesto at Graceada Park on Jan. 18, 2025.")
Modesto witnessed two marches this past weekend, just days before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
A Women’s March on Saturday within Graceada Park drew a couple of hundred of participants united by a shared call to action.
Led by government attorney Jessica Self, attendees listened to speakers and participated in discussions on how to get involved in outreach efforts or run for office. Several local organizations, including the NAACP, Pride groups and Faith in the Valley, were present to connect with community members.
For many in the crowd, including a significant number of young people, it was their first protest.
Lise Talbott, chair of the Stanislaus County Democratic Central Committee, described the younger generations, namely Gen Z and Gen Alpha, as the first to face fewer rights than their parents. She said participants seemed to appreciate the opportunity to go out and be around like-minded people.
“It feels good to come out and wave your sign and march, but we can’t just go home and feel like we checked off our activism box for the year. We have to keep working and moving forward,” Talbott said in an interview with The Bee.
The crowd also included seasoned activists, from female combat veterans to advocates who had been marching since before Roe v. Wade.
The march became a platform to address not just women’s rights but also broader concerns about immigration policies and the climate of fear that many marginalized communities face.
Though the county appears to be leaning more conservative, Self said, she believes voter apathy is the bigger issue. She emphasized the importance of working with various groups to prepare people in elections and provide them the resources to get through the next four years.
Talbott added that those with privilege have to stand up for marginalized groups, both locally and in other states.
“We can’t allow the most vulnerable to be left alone to do that work,” she said.
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On Sunday, the Central Valley BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, people of color] Coalition organized the “Inauguration of the People” march, which began at 10th Street Plaza in downtown Modesto and stretched two miles. Around 40 people attended the event, which focused on rejecting the two-party political system, advocating for Palestinian solidarity and protesting Trump’s administration.
The coalition has been focused on grassroots organizing and providing resources to marginalized communities, which it shares through its Instagram page. As part of its advocacy, the coalition keeps tabs on Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] activities and has called on local agencies, including the Modesto Police Department and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, to refrain from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.
Other organizations were present at the march to share resources, including California Rural Legal Assistance, which provided information on housing programs and its pro bono legal services.
Attendees emphasized the need for collective action and self-reliance in addressing systemic issues.
Katharina Beeler, one of the organizers, said the march represents the ongoing fight for justice. She noted that issues including funding Israel and enforcing harmful immigration policies, persisted under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Protests and organizing are less common in the Central Valley than in regions including the Bay Area and Los Angeles, Beeler said, but she stressed their importance in building local solidarity and for people to see the humanity in one another.
“It’s pretty disgusting the lack of safety people feel living in the Central Valley,” Beeler said.
Julissa Ruiz Ramirez, founder of the Central Valley BIPOC Coalition, said the march’s core message is about standing in solidarity and taking collective action, regardless of who holds power.
She said that relying on those in power is no longer an option — people must take matters into their own hands. Her focus moving forward is on building community resilience by sharing resources and informing people on their rights to empower and educate those in need.
“At the end of the day, both parties have failed us,” Ramirez said.
