NEW YORK, N.Y. (November 9, 2024) – In response to this week’s general election results and its threat to our freedoms, public education advocacy organization the Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement:

“Today, thousands of New Yorkers marched from Columbus Circle to Bryant Park, sending a powerful message: We stand united to protect each other from the threats of a second Trump administration.

This march was a bold rejection of Donald Trump’s divisive, racist, misogynistic, and anti-immigrant agenda. His promises to target immigrant families, roll back protections for trans and queer people, and dismantle climate laws will harm the most vulnerable—Black, Brown, low-income, and immigrant communities. But we are clear that we will not let these attacks define us. We choose unity and solidarity, not fear and division.

As we face the next four years, New York must lead the way. We will continue to fight for our freedoms, our families, and our children’s future. Our work is to protect public education, advance racial and economic justice, and ensure every child, regardless of their zip code, has the chance to thrive. We are in this fight together, and we will not back down.

“Today’s march was a powerful reminder that New Yorkers will not back down in the face of a second Trump administration. We will not let the forces of division and hatred turn us against each other or undermine the future of our children. New York has the wealth and resources to lead the nation by fully funding a high-quality public education for every child. We will not accept a system that continues to shortchange Black, Brown, immigrant, and low-income students and families, while billionaires grow richer by the day. The fight ahead is sure to be tough, but we are choosing to stand together to ensure that our schools teach the truth, provide every child with a quality education, and prepare them to build a more just and equitable future. This is our moment to protect the future we want for our children—and we will rise to meet it,” said Marina Marcou-O’Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education.