Local Dems ‘Won’t Go Back’ on Progressive Values

More than two dozen local democrats organized in downtown New Bedford Sunday to protest President-Elect Donald Trump and begin building the framework of a new progressive community organization.

We Won't Go Back is primarily made up of three of the city's major progressive groups: labor unions, the Coalition of Social Justice and the New Bedford Democratic Committee.

Lisa Lemeuix, organizer for SEIU 1199 and one of the leaders of We Won't Go Back, explained that the name sums up the group's focus.

"What we meant is we won't go back on our values," Lemeuix said. "We won't go back on the things we've worked hard to accomplish, whether it's labor reform or immigration reform or women's rights. Those are the things that we're talking about, our values."

Following a brief march along Union St., participants gathered at the First Unitarian Church and sat together in a forum-style setting. They voiced their concerns over the incoming Trump Administration, including: immigration, women's rights, LGBTQ rights, climate change, and many others. They also spoke about ways to spread their own progressive values among Southcoast communities and beyond.

Representatives of Governor Charlie Baker and Congressman Bill Keating were in attendance to listen to the group's concerns and relay those messages.

Ward Four City Councilor Dana Reberio is another one of the organizers and said this type of setting has been proven useful in the past.

"It's something we saw done after the [Michael] Bianco raids," said Rebeiro. "Governor Deval Patrick came down and they did this and it worked really well and it's less formal and it's a more intimate setting."

We Won't Go Back will hold another meeting Sunday, December 11 at 2pm at the New Bedford Labor Council.