2025 People's March on Granada

Lottie and I attended the People's March on Granada yesterday! It was amazing to see people gather and stand for our rights and our beliefs together and to be part of something so much bigger than myself. I'm hoping we can organize something similar for Pride this year -- a march for LGBTQ+ rights on Granada in June. I'll keep everyone updated on the details!

Our town needs more solidarity than ever right now. That was the purpose of the march -- not to inspire anger or backlash -- but to organize and protest for our own rights -- the rights of our mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, and our LGBTQ+ family & friends -- and for the rights of others in third world countries affected by our destructive foreign policies. As an American citizen, I have every right to question why my tax dollars are funding a violence our government should have no hand in. This is why we had a sign for Palestine. I think we all deserve a right to know what's been happening in Gaza and what our government is doing to directly impact the lives of so many innocent civilians. There will be many more marches like the one on Granada to come. We were peaceful and did not retaliate against the angry passersby shouting awful expletives at us. We used our First Amendment right as Americans to stand for what we so greatly believe in. I believe in a better future for my friends and family. I believe in a future for the hungry and hurting children in third world countries who have had their own families taken from them in the crossfire. Instead of shouting at each other and making fun of people for expressing their freedom of speech and for standing up for others, I think we should come together as a community and lift each other up. It broke my heart hearing some of the things that were said to us yesterday on that bridge and reading some of the posts/comments by opposition online. But it also rekindled my passion for freedom, justice, and equality for all. We should take a moment to look deeper inside ourselves and ask why seeing genuine community and camaraderie makes us angry and turn that anger into love for our neighbors.

And to those who expressed support to us yesterday and words of encouragement: Thank you. I see you and I appreciate you more than you know. God bless each and every one of you.

-- Avery Hart

Photos taken by Lottie Albright.

Protestors gather near Granada in Ormond Beach, FL to march for equality for all.

Avery Hart, President of Unity of Ormond Beach, holding a "Free Palestine -- End the Occupation" sign in support of Palestinians.

A member of Central Floridians for Social Equality smiles for a photo.