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We Are Still Afraid to Name Them Because Nothing Happens When We Do

We Are Still Afraid to Name Them Because Nothing Happens When We Do

East Wing's Demolition Highlights U.S. Construction Waste Problem

East Wing's Demolition Highlights U.S. Construction Waste Problem

Trump & Hegseth gave Mark Kelly a huge 2028 gift

Trump & Hegseth gave Mark Kelly a huge 2028 gift

Warrantless home searches sparked the American Revolution – now ICE wants to bring them back

Warrantless home searches sparked the American Revolution – now ICE wants to bring them back

“Pulling Donald Trump’s Teeth”

“Pulling Donald Trump’s Teeth”

Thousands gather for People’s March on Washington

Thousands gather for People’s March on Washington

Protesters gather in Franklin Park on Jan. 18, 2025.

(Micah Sandy/MNS)
By Jorge Martinez,
Jorge Martinez
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Micah Sandy
Micah Sandy
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Jan 25, 2025

The Fulcrum is proud to partner with Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications in amplifying the work of young journalists.

This collaborative coverage features the People’s March, held on January 18, 2025, an event protesting Donald Trump's policies on issues such as reproductive rights, climate change, and immigration.

WASHINGTON – Thousands of protesters marched down the streets of Washington on Saturday to voice their concerns over climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, and reproductive freedoms before Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Protesters started in Franklin Park, McPherson Square, or Farragut Park for the 1.7-mile journey through the National Mall.

Watch the video report here:

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Thousands gather for People’s March on Washington was first published by Medill News Service, and republished with permission.

Jorge Martinez covers education for Medill on the Hill. He is a sophomore at Northwestern University and studies journalism and legal studies. Jorge has written for LGBTQ Nation and The Cicero Independiente, and interned with the 2024 DNC and the Democratic Party of Illinois.

Micah Sandy covers politics for Medill News Service. Originally from New York, Sandy is a third-year student studying journalism, political science and classical studies. He previously interned at Encyclopedia Britannica. At Northwestern, he served as a reporter and producer for Northwestern News Network and as a digital managing editor for The Daily Northwestern.


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A tragedy in Mali, West Africa is a reminder of solidarity across difference and the work needed at home in the United States

Map highlighting Mali over Mali flag

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A tragedy in Mali, West Africa is a reminder of solidarity across difference and the work needed at home in the United States

This fall, I got a phone call from a longtime friend in Mali, West Africa. I could hear the familiar hum of insects in the background, even as I heard the audible strain in his voice. A tragedy had just unfolded - innocent people were being displaced, villages destroyed, and people killed in the name of religion and political extremism. Even though it has been over two decades since I last visited, Mali is a place I grew to know and love - and for over 25 years, I’ve been blessed with a close friendship with my host family, with whom I lived during my time in the U.S. Peace Corps. I had been one of just over 2,500 volunteers who had served in the country until security concerns forced the closure of Mali’s Peace Corps program in 2015. And now, the village where I lived had been burned down, and my friends and host family were refugees on the run.

It was a reminder about how quickly things can change. One day, you wake up to the familiar path of sunlight across mud brick walls and the large baobab trees that frame the dirt path leading from the main road. Another day, you wake up to a worst nightmare - a country in chaos, extremism on the loose, and the very real force of violence right at your doorstep. It was also a reminder that political unrest can strike close to home, to the places and people I know and love, and that political instability and violent, polarizing rhetoric takes its toll.

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A recent report issued by Republican staff members on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, which focused on alleged European censorship practices, cited Romania as a case study of aggressive EU overreach, referencing investigations into the far-right candidate’s campaign financing and the annulment decision. In doing so, elements within the U.S. political system appeared to align rhetorically with Moscow’s framing of the episode as an example of EU elite suppression rather than Russian interference.

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In his Executive Order, "Restore Truth and Sanity to American History," Trump stated that there has been "a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth." He has, among other things, instructed the National Park Service and a variety of museums and other sites to remove all information that "inappropriately disparage Americans, past or living." This includes information about slavery, the treatment of Native Americans, and a host of other subjects.

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Across every continent, marginalized communities face systematic, escalating threats wherever democracy comes under attack. In the United States, Black Americans confront voter suppression and attacks on our history. Across the Americas, immigrants and racialized communities face racial profiling and assault by immigration enforcement. In Brazil and across South America, Indigenous peoples endure environmental destruction and rising violence. In Europe, Roma communities, immigrants, and refugees experience discrimination and hostile policies. Across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, members of marginalized ethnic and religious communities face state violence, forced labor, and the denial of basic human rights. In every region of the world, members of the LGBTQ+ community face discrimination and threats.

These are not random or isolated acts of oppression. When considered together, they reveal something more sinister: authoritarianism is becoming increasingly more connected and coordinated around the world. This coordination specifically targets the most vulnerable because authoritarians understand that it is easier to manipulate a divided and fearful society. Attacking those who are most marginalized weakens the entire democratic fabric.

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