On Saturday, July 26, at Snow Park in Oakland, SEIU 1021 members, community groups, and other activists from across Northern California joined people in 50 states across the nation in peaceful protest to demand our families come first — not billionaires, not authoritarians, and not corrupt politicians.

The crowd gathered at Snow Park to hear from Medi-Cal recipients, healthcare professionals, caregivers, and community members who refuse to give up on the right to healthcare for all and an end to violent ICE raids that are tearing families apart. Communities collectively urged an end to policies that harm children, older adults, and our families.

“We know that we have a federal government who has turned against its own people. We know that we have a federal government who has now decided to take money from ordinary working people to put it in the pockets of rich, wealthy corporations,” said SEIU 1021 President Theresa Rutherford.

The crowd demanded a government that serves us, not one that hurts us. The goal: an America where every family has food on the table, healthcare when they need it, and safety in their own neighborhood, no matter their zip code or immigration status.

We must ensure every one of our friends and neighbors hears how GOP lawmakers in Congress sold out our families, including by passing new legislation that will rip healthcare away from 17 million people, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities, by gutting Medicaid. It also:

• Cuts food stamps (SNAP), forcing millions of working families to make impossible choices between groceries and rent.
• Slashes critical FEMA funding, leaving communities vulnerable to hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters
• Eliminates free and reduced-price school lunches, taking food off the trays of children who rely on it to learn and grow.
• Tears apart families of our immigrant family members, neighbors, coworkers and friends by pouring billions more into ICE.

It was not only a protest against the Trump administration’s cruel attacks on working families, but a fight for our values—a country where everyone can get the care they need, where no child goes hungry, and where elected leaders actually represent the people they serve.