Alexander Keenan stood on the platform before a crowd of dozens of demonstrators at the New Hampshire State House on Sunday afternoon.

Protestors cheered in response as the ten-year-old, who has autism, led a chant from the platform: “No fear. No hate. Education and Medicare make us great!”

“When someone like RFK Jr. says that they want to shut down the Department of Education, it’s like saying our learning doesn’t matter,” he told those gathered for the “No Voice Too Small” youth rally. “But education is everything. It’s how we grow. It’s how we fight back. It’s how we get great!”

The rally, organized by the New Hampshire chapter of 50501, a national organization responsible for anti-Trump protests across the country, focused on amplifying young voices. People of all ages gathered in solidarity.

“We want to give people the opportunity to connect with groups that they’re passionate about, so they can find better ways to get involved and not just show up here and be upset,” said Brittni Widdick, one of the protest organizers.

Widdick described getting together with a group of fellow 50501 organizers and deciding that their next event needed to be about kids.

“This is why we do it, right? This is why we get these people out here. It’s why we focus so much on politics as a whole because the world we’re creating, they’re the ones that get to live in it,” she said.

In front of the State House steps, a young boy ran around, blowing bubbles. Upbeat music drifted from the dark blue organizers’ tent. A few activist community groups, including Open Democracy and Moms Demand Action, staffed booths where they distributed information about various causes.

A handful of demonstrators stood on the corner of North Main Street and Capitol Street, waving signs, an umbrella and an American flag at passing cars. Some honked in support of their messages, evoking cheers of celebration from the crowd on the city plaza. More people held signs right outside the State House arch.

Nineteen-year-old Spike King stood on top of a concrete bench, facing the oncoming traffic, with two signs that read “Hate Will Not Make Us Great” and “United We Stand Divided We Fall.”

“I’m here just because I think it’s an important cause to show up for, just to show support for both the general movement and also the things that I particularly personally believe in,” said King. “Especially showing up for trans kids in New Hampshire right now. There’s a lot of legislation which is very, very threatening and scary, and it’s threatening people’s health and their well-being.”

Jen Loomey, who came in support of the youth protesters, held a sign that read “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Make Communities Strong.” She said that she’s been having a hard time digesting the Trump administration’s attacks on DEI and climate change and their effect on young people.

“I really wanted to come to support the young people and to send a very positive, welcoming, message,” said Loomey. “I understand that a lot of the youth, it’s hard for them when they see that DEI is now becoming a bad word and when I look at DEI, that’s really important and it all can, in my opinion, really make community stronger.”

Rachel Horton, a behavior interventionist, attended the protest with her daughter, who is in elementary school. Horton dressed up as Mario, and her daughter wore a princess outfit.

“We’re just here because the cuts to education are harming our children and it’s a very near and dear thing to me. And as my child is young still,” said Horton. “I would like to see the politicians actually listen to the people’s voices and make decisions based on the constituents that actually, are coming to these and care instead of lining their own pockets.”

As Keenan told the crowd, this protest marks an opportunity for youth to fight back against the policies that affect them.

“Being young doesn’t mean being powerless. It means you just still have time to fix this,” said Keenan.

Yaa Bame can be reached at ybame@cmonitor.com