A group of about 60 demonstrators gathered outside Houston City Hall on Wednesday morning as part of a nationwide day of action marking the five-year anniversary of the death of civil rights icon John Lewis.
The peaceful protest — one of hundreds across the country — was part of the “Good Trouble Lives On” movement, a campaign that aims to honor Lewis’s legacy by encouraging civic engagement and resisting policies that organizers say harm marginalized communities.
Participants in Houston chanted, drew chalk art on sidewalks, played music and held handmade signs with messages including “No ICE,” “Unite,” and “No King TACO” — a play on former President Donald Trump’s name, used as an acronym. Some signs featured drawings of PBS characters in protest of public broadcasting cuts, while others advocated for voting rights and an end to immigrant detention.
“We’re here to turn pain into power,” said Bethany Edwards, 24, one of the lead organizers with Immigrating Youth Texas. “This is about healing, standing up for our communities, and not letting our voices be erased.”
The event included a march to Discovery Green and back, along with information booths, music and refreshments. Organizers emphasized the protest’s community-centered and nonviolent nature, echoing Lewis’s call to get into “good trouble, necessary trouble.”
Speakers highlighted a range of issues, including opposition to ICE deportation raids, Texas redistricting plans, and budget proposals that would eliminate funding for public media and other services.
Grace Hee, 31, a notary and Harris County Democratic volunteer, said she joined the protest to speak out against what she called misplaced priorities by state leaders.
“Redistricting while people are still recovering from floods? That’s not leadership,” Hee said.
James Schriver, 73, a Vietnam-era veteran, helped create the satirical “No King TACO” sign and said the rally reminded him of the anti-war marches of his youth.
“We have to keep pushing back,” he said. “The faces change, but the fight for justice is still the same.”
Organizers said similar protests were held in Katy, The Woodlands, Seabrook, Sugar Land and other parts of the Greater Houston area. An evening event titled “Fight for HISD’s Future” also took place in support of public education and voting rights.
The Houston protest was part of a broader push to advocate for the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and to draw attention to civil rights issues ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
“We’re reclaiming our power,” Edwards said. “This is good trouble — the kind that moves us forward.”