What America Saw at NO KINGS Part 3

Here's how we turn the No Kings Movement Into Real Power

On March 28, 2026, the third wave of “No Kings” protests made history. Thousands of demonstrations took place in all 50 states and abroad, with organizers describing the movement as opposition to what they call the “anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies.” With more than 3,300 events, the protests recorded 9 million attendees nationwide—dwarfing the first two No Kings events, which drew roughly 5 million and 7 million people respectively.

Read that again: nine million people. In one day.

Almost half of these protests took place in GOP strongholds. Texas, Florida, and Ohio each had over 100 events. States like Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah had events in the double digits. This is not a coastal liberal phenomenon. This is America — all of it.

I was there. I saw the signs. I heard the chants. And it was extraordinary.

But here’s what I need to tell you, because I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t: Marching alone will not save our democracy. Here’s what we must do next to build upon these protests. Let’s Address This.

The Gap Between the Street & the Seat of Power

Look at these signs.

“If only children were protected like the Epstein files.” “I’m an old white guy against Trump.” “Make pretty good trouble.” “Hate won’t make America great.” “No kings. No pedophiles. No excuses. Release the files.” “We need healthcare, not warfare.”

These aren’t the words of a fringe movement. These are the words of millions of Americans — from every background, every state, every generation — who took to the streets today and said: enough.

History teaches us that protest is essential. But protest without organized political power is not progress. The Civil Rights Movement didn’t end racial apartheid and segregation in America through marches alone. It ended it through legislation, litigation, voter registration drives, and sustained political organizing that translated moral outrage into law. We have that blueprint. We must duplicate it today.

Caroline Gleich wrote to me about her protest in Salt Lake City and Park City, UT:

We’re here because a billionaire class is using authoritarian power to put themselves above the law and above the rest of us. The power belongs to the people, not Trump and not the billionaires.

Caroline Gleich wrote to me about her protest in Salt Lake City and Park City, UT.

Esther Stahl shared her beautiful protest with this image and powerful message:

Esther Stahl protesting at No Kings

Maybe its because I’m a parent myself and I love seeing parents lead their children down paths of empathy and compassion, but I loved this note sent to me by Josh, who added “Protesting with my son for his future and for all our children!”

And as JJ shared from Cambridge, MA, even the introverts showed up!

The signs at today’s march called out the Epstein files, the killing of American citizens by federal agents, the war in Iran, the gutting of democratic institutions. These are urgent, legitimate grievances. And the people holding those signs deserve more than a moment — they deserve a movement that lasts.

So what do we do with nine million people?

We Organize. We Vote. We Win.

The answer isn’t complicated. It’s just hard. Here’s what turning momentum into power looks like:

1. Connect with your neighbors — not just your followers. Nine million people marched. Most of them went home, scrolled social media, and felt good for a few hours. What if instead, they joined a structured, ongoing group that coordinates action between elections? That’s where tools like Sway come in. Sway is a free platform that lets communities organize voting blocs, share action items, and stay coordinated on the issues that matter most. It’s not enough to be angry together once — we have to act together consistently.

👉 Join my Sway voting group right now and plug into a community that turns outrage into organized power.

I’ve just launched my voting group and we already have more than 400 people on board. Join my group and let’s get it into the thousands. Then, start your own voting group to inspire your local community to get activated.

2. Show up for local and state elections — not just presidential ones. Authoritarianism doesn’t consolidate power at the federal level first. It starts in state legislatures, school boards, attorney general offices, and local courts. This is why Republicans are so hell bent on gerrymandering every election possible. The people who enable today’s crises were elected — or enabled by people who weren’t voted out. That changes when we vote in every election, at every level.

3. Demand accountability — by name. Sen. Bernie Sanders told the massive St. Paul crowd: “In 1789, they said loudly and boldly to the world that in this new nation of America, we don’t want kings. Our message is exactly the same: No more kings.” But we can’t just say it in the streets. We have to say it in the voting booth — and we have to hold every elected official, Republican and Democrat, accountable for their silence or complicity.

4. Keep showing up. I have attended all three No Kings protests. I have shown up dozens of times to protest ICE fascists, whether here in Chicago, up in Minnesota, or in our nation’s capitol in Washington D.C. This movement must keep growing, and it will because people refuse to go home and stay quiet. Sustained presence is itself a form of power. The administration is counting on your fatigue. Disappoint them.

The Future Is Unwritten — But Only If We Write It

As I left the No Kings protest here in Naperville, IL, I thought this sign said it best: The future is unwritten.

That’s not a passive statement. It’s a challenge. It means the authoritarians haven’t won yet. It means our democracy, battered as it is, is still ours to defend and reclaim. It means nine million people who came out today have the power to change this country—if we stay organized, stay focused, and translate our presence in the streets into power at the polls and in our communities.

Don’t let today be a moment. Make it a movement. Make it grow.

Step one: Join my Sway voting group. It’s free, it’s organized, and it’s how we turn today’s march into tomorrow’s victory.

The future is unwritten. Let’s write it together. And by working together we can revive the proven models of the Civil Rights movement, and enact meaningful change and progress.

Qasim Rashid is a human rights attorney, author, and host of Let’s Address This. Follow him for ongoing coverage of democracy, civil rights, and the fight against authoritarianism.