Turn the Tide Rally Set for Saturday
Join in to call for change in elected officials.
Key West residents will join a nationwide wave of demonstrations this weekend, with a “Turn the Tide” rally at Bayview Park that organizers say reflects both national calls for change and local discontent with city leaders.
The rally, set for 11 a.m. to noon Saturday at 1320 Truman Ave., is part of the Women’s March “Make Billionaires Pay” campaign, a coordinated effort with more than 100 organizations across the country timed to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Demonstrators say they will highlight climate action, migrant justice and gender equity.
In Key West, however, the issues extend beyond Washington. Residents have voiced frustration with local officials over climate resilience planning, affordable housing and a perceived lack of responsiveness to community concerns.
“This isn’t just about what’s happening nationally — it’s about holding our own leaders accountable,” organizers said in a statement announcing the rally. “People in the Keys are living with rising seas, skyrocketing rents and policies that don’t put working families first.”
Rally organizers also pointed to concerns over immigration enforcement, LGBTQ+ rights, women’s health care access and minority voting rights, all of which have been flashpoints in Florida politics.
The demonstration is planned as a peaceful event, with speakers encouraging attendees to “turn the tide” by voting out leaders at every level who they say are failing to represent the community’s needs.
Although the group declined to name individual officials, those on the dais likely know who they are.
Similar rallies are scheduled across the country, from large metropolitan areas to smaller coastal communities. The Women’s March has framed the Sept. 20 actions as a pushback against policies that organizers say benefit the wealthy at the expense of ordinary people.
More information about the Key West rally is available at action.womensmarch.com.