Lea County Pride

Category: Political Action

  • Protest in memory of John Lewis

    Lea County Pride hosted a second protest against Trump, ICE, and the rest of his administration on Friday, July 25th in Hobbs. This national protest was in honor of John Lewis. Lewis was an American civil rights activist and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in 2020. He participated in the 1960 Nashville sit-ins and the Freedom Rides, was the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from 1963 to 1966, and was one of the “Big Six” leaders of groups who organized the 1963 March on Washington. Fulfilling many key roles in the civil rights movement and its actions to end legalized racial segregation in the United States, in 1965 Lewis led the first of three Selma to Montgomery marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge where, in an incident that became known as Bloody Sunday, state troopers and police attacked Lewis and the other marchers.

    A member of the Democratic Party, Lewis was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986 and served 17 terms.

    In his memory, let’s remember one of his famous mottos: “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

    Members of Lea County Pride and Somos un Pueblo Unido joined together to raise awareness of the problems caused by this administration to the LGBTQ+ community, the immigrant community, and all others who live under this regime. Although it was 97 degrees outside and it was a Friday afternoon, a number of people showed up to protest the Trump administration.

    If you are able, please take a stand against this administration. The illegal detention of undocumented and documented immigrants is appalling. People, all people, do not deserve to be disappeared by people wearing masks, who have no warrants, into a system where they have no legal rights. This system is stacking people into cells made for two people, given little food, and no healthcare. These people are actually dying. Please, if you are able either write or call your federal and state representatives to end the Naziesque treatment of humans. See the Resources page to determine who your representatives are.

  • No Kings Day

    June 14, 2025

    Samael Burchett, President of Lea County Pride, organized No Kings Day. No Kings Day, also known internationally as the No Dictators or No Tyrants protests, were a series of demonstrations that took place on June 14, 2025 in all 50 states and in many territories of the USA.

    No Kings Day was a protest against Donald Trump’s policies and actions that have occurred during his second presidency, including his fascist tendencies and associated democratic backsliding in the U.S., his wholly illegal removal of immigrants, and his atrocious policies against the LGBTQ+ community. Organizers estimated that more than five million people participated in more than 2,100 cities and towns.

    Our protest took place in Hobbs at the corner of Bender Blvd and Grimes Street. As part of the protest, Lea County Pride invited a number of organizations to participate. No organization showed more enthusiasm than Somos un Pueblo Unido, an immigrant-led organization dedicated to advancing worker and racial justice at the state and local levels. In addition, the Democratic Party posted the event on their Facebook page for those who wished to attend.

    The protest took place from 9 am to noon and nearly 100 people showed up to show their dissatisfaction of the Trump regime’s platform on immigration and LGBTQ+ rights.

    While the protest took place, we received so many heartfelt agreements of the protest signs from passing cars. I believe a great time was had by all who attended.

    On the the following Tuesday, reporter Azure Mitchell’s article and photos of the No Kings Protest were published on the front page of the local newspaper, the Hobbs News-Sun.

    Below are a few of Lea County Pride’s own photos of the event.

  • Interesting week

    Lea County and Lea County Pride had an interesting week. This last week (June 1 – 7) was packed with political activities. First off, the governor of New Mexico was at the Junior College to give a Town Hall Meeting. Since Lea County is a very red county, it is nice that she decided to visit us and give us a chance to discuss what is happening at the federal, state, and local area.

    In addition, Somos Un Pueblo Unido had a gathering at City Park to figure out what is to be done about ICE in our community. Lea County is one of the few non-sanctuary counties in New Mexico, and that is quite depressing. ICE has been in Lea County a couple of times in the last six months and have disappeared people, including children. Admittedly, there is something very wrong when a federal agency can pick up people without a warrant, without due process, and make them disappear. In addition, they are covering their faces and not providing proof of their agency when they pick up people. Whether that is illegal or not, I don’t know. Is it disturbing? Absolutely. Hopefully Somos and others can come up with a way to combat this weirdly fascist activity by ICE.

    On Friday, Samael, the President of Lea County Pride, had a article printed in our local paper, The Hobbs News Sun. He discussed gender-affirming care that should make sense to cisgender people. It is well known that cisgender people make use of gender-affirming care all the time. To try and make gender-affirming care a trans issue only is quite suspect.

    Finally, on Saturday, Lea County Pride held a Visibility event in Lovington to show that LGBTQ+ people and their allies live throughout Lea County. This was our second Visibility event this year. Hopefully, this will attract more members to Lea County Pride, both LGBTQ+ individuals but allies as well.

  • Writing Our Representatives

    On Saturday, April 19, the United States had a Day Of Action to protest the Administration of Donald Trump. Thousands of people across more than 700 locations in the United States demonstrated against President Donald Trump on Saturday, protesting his administration’s policies during the second “day of action”.

    As part of this “day of action” Lea County Pride hosted a Postcard Campaign to write to various representatives at both the state and federal levels. We created over 40 postcards that were mailed on Sunday, and other members took postcards home to create additional postcards.

    Every time a Representative receives a letter, postcard, phone call, petition, it lets them know what their constituents are worried about and how, if they wish to keep their job, they need to vote. Taking action is critical at this time in history. Never has the United States been so close to the edge of fascism. If we don’t fight now, we might never get the chance to fight again.