Local organizers in Sullivan County are set to join more than 1,500 communities nationwide in commemorating the life and legacy of Congressman John Lewis this Thursday, marking five years since the civil rights icon’s passing. The event, titled Good Trouble Lives On, is part of a national day of non-violent action inspired by Lewis’s call to “get into good trouble.”
Hosted by the local civic group We Are One Sullivan, the gathering will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at New Memories in Parksville. The event will honor Lewis’s lifelong work advancing civil rights, voting rights, and non-violent protest.
“We are one of 1,500 celebrations across the country,” said Ken Wampler of We Are One Sullivan. “This event gives us a chance to be inspired by Congressman Lewis’s life and legacy, and to be renewed by it. It puts the ‘good’ in ‘good trouble’ and reminds us how vital voting is to our democracy.”
The local event is co-sponsored by several regional advocacy groups, including the Sullivan County chapter of the NAACP, the Committee for Equity and Justice, and the Rural and Migrant Ministry.
Anne Hart, also with We Are One Sullivan, emphasized the continued relevance of Lewis’s message. “Even though we’re relatively protected here in New York when it comes to voting rights, nationally, access to the ballot box is under attack,” Hart said. “Lewis registered millions of voters in his lifetime. It’s up to us to carry that work forward.”
Speakers at the event will address ongoing challenges to voting rights, including restrictive voter ID laws and other measures enacted in several states following the Supreme Court’s Shelby decision, which weakened federal protections.
“We can’t become complacent just because we feel secure locally,” Hart added. “John Lewis taught us that protecting democracy takes constant work.”
Founded in 2016 and reinvigorated in 2024, We Are One Sullivan is a local chapter of the national Indivisible movement, working to engage residents in grassroots advocacy. “This is about building coalitions,” Wampler said. “We must stand together, locally and nationally, to protect the foundations of our democracy.”
Asked what Lewis’s mantra of “good trouble” means to them, Wampler and Hart offered personal reflections. For Wampler, it’s a “commitment to non-violence” and the belief that voting itself is a form of protest. Hart focused on the “trouble” aspect, saying, “Sometimes, to create change, you have to make a little noise. You have to call out injustice when you see it.”
Thursday’s event will feature speakers, community networking, and refreshments, with volunteers assisting guests and providing lemonade on what is expected to be a hot summer evening.
As Hart put it, “Courage is contagious. When you see your neighbors standing up, it inspires others to join in.”
For more information about the event and the national movement, visit goodtroubleliveson.org.
Note: This story was updated on July 15 adding the new venue location.
Image: Civil rights leader and U.S. congressman John Lewis. (Credit: US Congress)