Aisha Tahir wanted to do something about Trump. When she heard about the protests in cities like DC, college campuses and high schools, her first reaction was the desire to join them.

“I, like many others, didn’t know what the protest would do now that he was in office, but I knew that I could add to the the many voices that wanted to tell Trump that we will fight him every way if he creates hate for different religions, genders and nationalities,” Tahir said.

One day, while discussing these local protests with her peers, she decided that she would be the one to take action at AHS.

“As one of the most diverse schools in the country and the most diverse in the state, it is so important that we speak up. Diversity is something we celebrate at AHS and for someone to speak so negatively about something we value, it was only right we protest,” Tahir’s friend Julia Sheehy said. Sheehy designed the fliers that would be handed out to students at lunch and during class changes, and posted on social media by students helping Tahir organize the protest.

“DO YOU REJECT THE PRESIDENT ELECT?” The flyer reads in thick print. It also states the protest’s who, what, when, where and why (to show that the diverse culture of Annandale High School promotes the acceptance of everyone regardless of race, gender, and sexual orientation).

In the days leading up to the protest, Tahir started to fear that her efforts would be in vain.

“I honestly was very nervous and terrified that not many people would come. Some of my closest friends had decided that they were not coming so I had lost hope for the rest,” Tahir said.

Even so, she was determined to go through with the demonstration.

“Even if people didn’t show up and it was just me and 5 of my other friends, I would have stayed and held my head high because to me, it wasn’t about pride or ego, it was about the cause and all that mattered was I believed in it.”

The night before and the morning of the protest, Tahir and her friends made posters and gathered around 8:15 in front of the school. The walkout was scheduled to take place at 8:30. Instead of the expected 5-10 people, around 200 ended up gathering in front of the school.

“I was relieved and then proud and then ecstatic,” Tahir said. The students gathered despite the slightly-above freezing weather and the threat of an unexcused absence. Not long after, they began to walk around school grounds and chant phrases: “No Trump, No KKK, no racist USA!” and “not my president” and “love not hate” among them.
Students burst from the gym in their P.E. uniforms and a few came from the trailers. The group then went back to the front and were greeted by a camera from Fox News DC. Fox later posted an 11 minute video of the students on their Facebook page.

Link:
https://www.facebook.com/fox5dc/videos/vb.49727872493/10154905805152494/?type=2&theater&notif_t=like&notif_id=1479842456477760

The students left school grounds and took a 2 mile loop around the neighborhood. Cars stopped and drivers took videos of the protest or gave the group a thumbs up. Tahir and a few others worked to keep students on the sidewalk and out of people’s yards. Police cars followed the group, but the officers never had to intervene.

“It was simply amazing,” Tahir said. “Everyone was respectful, orderly and we got our message across loud and clear without any violence. Our protest was so well done that our school police officer was asked by the county officials how and why was it so different from the rest of the schools in the county.”

Danyom Beyene helped Aisha keep the group in order and lead them along the route. He, along with many other students present, was heartened by the show of passion.

“I was a bit cold, but after we started moving I was touched that the whole school got together for a single cause. When I was watching the election coverage, I was convinced that hate had won in America, but this protest helped me to see that there are many people who believe that hate is never the answer,” Beyene said.

When the students arrived back at school, they were greeted by administrators. The principal leaned into a police vehicle and spoke into the microphone. He thanked the students for being orderly and instructed them to go to class. After taking a group picture, they did.

“I truly saw today that no matter what adults like to say about teenagers, we still care and can make a change,” Tahir said. “My closest friends supported me and helped me and so did everyone that came. Together, I think we sent a strong message. Even if it doesn’t gain much attention, I think as a school we should be proud and continue to be active.”