Washington ‒ A coalition of civil rights leaders, Democrats, and grassroots activists is urging their communities to tune out President Donald Trump’s Tuesday address to Congress and instead watch a 24-hour livestream focusing on what they call his harmful actions since taking office.
“It’s about turning off the television and listening to people in our communities, people we know, trust, and who are fighting for us,” said Jaime Harrison, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and one of the program’s organizers. “We know we’re going to get a bunch of lies from Trump.”
The president is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night at the United States Capitol. It will be his first congressional address since returning to the White House in January. Trump is expected to tout his record in the two months he’s been in office, including his efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion from federal programs nationwide.
The 24-hour livestream’s organizers stated that it is primarily aimed at an African American audience, but should appeal to everyone. They intend to hold panels and other discussions to highlight the harms they believe have occurred since Trump took office, such as the firing of tens of thousands of federal employees.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, faith leaders, voting rights activists, state legislators, and union organizers have all lined up to participate.
The “marathon” begins at midnight on Monday, ends at midnight on Tuesday, and continues through Trump’s address to Congress.
The program will address issues such as the impact of Project 2025, a conservative policy agenda, and opposition to Trump’s executive order to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the federal government.
“We know when the country is catching hell, Black people will be the first to pay,” said Angela Rye, a political strategist and organizer.
We wanted to sound the alarm for our people and say, ‘Regardless of if we’ve ever had a disagreement, if we’ve ever had seeds of discord, it is time for us to come together, to unite for a common purpose and a common cause, and that is for our survival.”
The Trump administration claims the cuts are necessary to reduce bureaucracy, streamline services, and save the government money. Trump supporters also argue that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are not merit-based and should be eliminated.
“It’s encouraging to hear that these individuals are devoting so much time to what the President has to say; they won’t want to miss this historic speech,” Harrison Fields, special assistant to the president and principal deputy press secretary, said in a statement.
Organizers said the program, dubbed “State of the People,” will also include a call to action, urging listeners to sign up for community programs and share credible information with family and friends.
“Our people have always been able to respond to crises,” stated Rye, who also co-hosts the weekly “Native Land Podcast.” “This is not different. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors. We are resilient individuals. “We will not give up.”
Organizers said that as of 4 p.m. Monday, approximately 15,000 people had registered.
The program will begin with a panel moderated by Joy Reid, whose MSNBC show was recently canceled. Tens of thousands of people participated in a recent “emergency call” hosted by #WinWithBlackWomen to support Reid.
The final three hours of the program will be a town hall with dozens of speakers, including faith leaders and Black women activists, some of whom led voting rights campaigns and others who led the Democratic National Convention.
“We hope to give viewers an option and an opportunity, an option for a different point of view and some truth and context as the country prepares itself – or steels itself — for Mr. Trump’s version of the state of the union,” The Rev. Leah Daughtry, one of the organizers, said in an email.
“This is especially important since history has shown that Mr. Trump’s speeches are often long on rhetoric and short on facts.”
Harrison will lead a panel discussion from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday was dominated by news from the United States. The panel will include lieutenant governors and Black state Democratic Party chairs.
“They’re on the front lines right now in terms of pushing back,” Harrison told me. “Where the rubber meets the road is in our states.”
