Embracing Constructive Dissent: The Power of Good Trouble

Earlier this week, several groups demonstrated against the current administration’s policies concerning civil and human rights by celebrating a “Good Trouble Lives On” Day of Action. This event commemorated the fifth anniversary of the late Congressman John Lewis, who passionately encouraged youth to engage in good trouble, advocating for their beliefs. In 2014, he inspired participants in Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools summer programs during their national training, emphasizing how embracing “necessary trouble” defined his life's mission. Lewis recounted his upbringing in Troy, Alabama, where he yearned for education despite facing segregation. Influenced by a teacher, he sought knowledge through limited resources at home and radio broadcasts. His pivotal encounters with influential figures like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. awakened his desire to instigate change. He urged the next generation to challenge injustice, stating, “You must get out there and push and pull and help change things.” As CDF Freedom Schools prepare for their National Day of Social Action on July 23, students are committed to advocating for equitable education, embodying Lewis’s enduring message.