They Can Ignore a Few But Not a Nation.
What the walkout revealed about network strength, gaps, and the next phase of coordination.
📌 NOTE FOR NEW READERS:
The 50501 Movement organizes peaceful action across all 50 states to defend democracy. This publication is over 85,000 subscribers strong and growing. If this resonates with you, hit subscribe!
Can the public still move together when power accelerates and when people are pressured into normalizing what should never be normal?
Some walked out from work. Some gathered at courthouses, city centers, and public squares. Some showed up in places where being visible takes real courage.
Some couldn’t attend in person for safety, caregiving, or job-related reasons but amplified the action, checked in on others, and helped make sure the country saw what was happening by sharing on social media.
The details looked different everywhere but our message was in unity across the country.
January 20th Outcome
January 20th creates usable information.
It shows us where participation is strong, where networks already exist, where turnout is growing, and where people still feel isolated or unsure how to plug in. Clarity is how we improve our strategy.
And from what many of us saw yesterday, online and on the ground, participation wasn’t confined to one region or one demographic. It showed up in multiple forms, across the country.
Power can dismiss a few angry people.
It can’t dismiss a nationwide movement.
Progress is being noticed whether they admit it or not
We don’t always see progress instantly. Sometimes it shows up as a shift in behavior: more people paying attention, more first-time participants showing up, more local groups forming, more officials being pressured to respond.
Visibility creates political cost.
Political cost creates hesitation.
Hesitation creates opportunity.
Opportunity is where civic pressure works.
Even if yesterday didn’t look as perfect or impressive as No Kings., we’re moving in the right direction with actions that might not be as easy but will make a much bigger impact.
Why some towns might have “looked quiet” yesterday
Not every community saw a big public gathering yesterday and that doesn’t mean the walkout didn’t work.
In some places, people focused on the core tactic of a walkout: withdrawing participation from work and routine life.
That can look like calling out, using PTO, taking a sick day, leaving early, skipping errands, not shopping, not spending, and intentionally stepping back from business-as-usual. And that’s okay because it still helps and supports the “day of action!”
Any action that interrupts the day, helped the cause.
So if your town didn’t have a courthouse rally or city-center crowd, but people quietly withdrew from normal participation, that is participation.
Nearly 50,000 people were expected to participate across coordinated walkouts and rallies nationwide.
The action wasn’t limited to a few cities: reports tracked over 600 organized events across the U.S.
By early this week, there were roughly 790 planned events and 37,500+ RSVPs recorded publicly before people even showed up day-of.
Additional reporting cited over 44,000 people signed up for walkouts nationwide.
Women’s March also shared that the action was happening across 873+ events (including beyond the U.S.).)
What did it look like where you are?
Was turnout strong? Quiet but meaningful? Growing?
Did new people show up for the first time?
Did it feel organized or more spontaneous?
If you didn’t participate, what would make it easier or safer to join a walkout next time?
Our family of 4 walked out of work and school and stayed home after 2pm, avoiding all commerce (including online commerce). We weren't able to find an organized get together near us, and actually really appreciated unplugging. We messaged with friends and family that participated in their own way.
Five of us first-time organizers planned the West Hartford CT Free America Walkout in 9 days. 400 people sang, listened to our Attorney General Tong’s rousing address, heard from US Senator Blumenthal and others.
BEST PART: We danced through the Center led by a New Orleans style second line brass band in the freezing cold. It was a blast !! Got lots of local coverage. We are energized in resistance!!