By Lynda Davis Prohl
On March 8th, Democrats Abroad UK took to the streets of London in solidarity with protesters in the US and abroad for International Women’s Day. The message of this protest was clear: we’re not only fighting against Trump and Musk but the administration’s policies targeting women, the LGBT+ community and their attempts to roll back diversity and inclusion policies.
Maya Buchanan, the organizer of the protest, said that for many members it was the first opportunity to get together since Trump’s Inauguration. For her, in light of everything going on with this administration, this protest felt especially powerful and emotional, “people were eager to connect, share experiences, and build momentum for future activism - all desperately looking for a way to make change. We wanted to show our fellow citizens that we can support the resistance from wherever we are, offering encouragement and validation to those already involved and inspiring those just getting started both at home and abroad.”
Marching through the historic Grosvenor Square with banners, US flags and a large blue sign proudly showcasing the protest’s theme “Rising up for Justice and Democracy” allowed Democrats in the UK to come together and express their discontent at what’s happening in our government right now. It also seems to have granted demonstrators a much needed chance to let off steam as they enjoyed taking group photos with the bronze statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the banner, which also featured the words Trump/Musk with a large X through it.
“We chanted, a few of us gave speeches, and dialed into DA’s Virtual Day of Action, hosted by the DA Global Women’s Caucus, to represent DAUK”, Buchanan says. “After our rally, some Women’s Caucus members joined larger women’s groups protesting that day; making us realize that DAUK pre-rallies are a powerful way to energize members before joining broader demonstrations.”
Buchanan has been an activist and leader with Democrats Abroad since 2017 and has previously attended marches for Women, Black Lives Matter and against the war in Iraq. So she knows well what it takes to get people ramped up to come out and make their voices heard.
As part of DA’s Resistance Advocacy Program, Buchanan, together with the chair of the Women’s Caucus, worked to organize this rally specifically for DAUK members. These protests along with signing up for Take Action Alerts, are a way for Democrats living abroad to make sure their voices are heard - from every corner of the world.
Buchanan says that something she learned from her mother, who marched with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and from her own activism experiences: is that small, collective actions—whether with 5, 10, or 50 people, or even as a single individual—can be powerful in inspiring others to raise their voices and helping to build and sustain a movement.
Maya Buchanan is the Voter Protection Director for Democrats Abroad and previously held positions leading DAUK’s Voting Rights and Democracy Group, as ExCom member at large in DAUK, and as a DAUK DPCA Voting Representative.
Lynda Davis Prohl has been a member of Democrats abroad since 2018. She’s a freelance writer and holds a dual Masters degree in International relations and diplomacy.