New Mexico
At The People’s March in New Mexico, rally goers brace for second Trump presidency • Source New Mexico
On the eve of President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration, speakers at a rally in New Mexico’s largest city called for a new social movement to defy Trump and confront fascism.
Hosted by the New Mexico Women’s March, The People’s March was timed in conjunction with similar protests in Washington D.C. and around the country.
New Mexico Women’s March Chair Samia Assed told the hundreds gathered at Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza the political moment demands practicing democracy and protecting the right to protest.
“A big responsibility lies on our shoulders, and we have to be up for it,” Assed said. “Come Tuesday, President Trump will have his 100 executive orders ready for us. Project 2025 will unfold. Are we going to fight back?”
Assed introduced outgoing U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the event’s keynote speaker. Haaland noted the record 60 women headed to the state Legislature this week and said there’s much more to do to support parents and working people.
Haaland said Trump is “surrounding himself with super-rich people who look down on us and our communities.”
“Our fight is not over. We will need to do the hard work of getting important things done and pushing back against an administration who couldn’t care less about regular people, about people like us,” Haaland said. “We will need to unapologetically stand up to make change to ensure that your voices are heard. We need more people with real lived experiences elected to office and serving our communities as doctors, scientists, CEOs, so that solutions reflect who we are.”
Other speakers at the rally included state Sens. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez and Harold Pope, Rep. Eleanor Chavez, Pueblo Action Alliance Executive Director Julia Bernal, Faith Roots Reproductive Action Development Director Karinna Solares and El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos Community Organizer Fabiola Landeros.
“We’re going to fight to remind people in power that they answer to us,” Haaland said.