Several College of the Sequoias students had a message of love at a rally near the COS campus. The students joined community members yesterday at the Visalia First Assembly Church for the yearly event hosted by Tulare-Kings Resource for Life, “Advancing the Mission”. This year’s guest speaker was American right-winged political activist Charlie Kirk, alongside with Isabel Brown, a Gen Z conservative. Attendees say both faced backlash from many members of the community. In response to Kirk being in Visalia, activist and former COS student Yocelyn Torres organized a protest outside of the church. Torres, alongside many other protesters, voiced their concerns about Kirk’s presence. They were met with retaliation from Kirk’s supporters.

“What motivated me to organize was the fact that young people and young voices need a platform to speak their minds, especially against someone like Charlie Kirk.” said Torres. Kirk is known for his “Prove me Wrong” debates with college students and is called by some of his supporters a leader for Young American Conservatives. However, others call him out for allegedly spreading misinformation during his debates.

Both sides got vocal towards each other but remained vigilant and peaceful. Torress said, “We stood for love, unity, and abundance for all life.” Torres expressed how inspiring it felt to see the community come together to express themselves, seeing the Brown Berets and older and younger activists taking their roles of “protectors, leaders, and peacekeepers.”

Protestors not only spoke out against Kirk and his Christian nationalist beliefs, but the impact his role allegedly makes on young growing minds during a time when marginalized communities are continuously targeted. Many protestors’ signs centered around the beliefs of creating safe communities for all, leaving no space for violence or hate.

Torres urges those who participate in protests to stay informed on their rights, hoping to push more activists to organize their own events for what they believe in