A family that voted together marches together in LA

The Navarro-Espina family with thousands of protesters at the anti-Trump march in Los Angeles. CONTRIBUTED

LOS ANGELES — Lina Espinosa Navarro, 81, took the Metro red line in North Hollywood, lightly limping with a cane but undaunted to walk one mile from the Pershing Square station exit to City Hall for the historic Women’s March, which most viewed as an Anti-Trump protest on January 21.

As it turned out, The Los Angeles Times reported that some 750,000 people marched from Pershing Square to City Hall and around downtown LA for the protest, a day after the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th U.S. president.

A retired school teacher of 28 years from the Los Angeles Unified School District, who also taught in Tarlac her home province, Mrs. Navarro did not imagine that for the first time in her life she would join a street political action; this time with 15 members of her family and half a dozen close friends.

Doing her part

She told INQUIRER.net that she was “afraid for the future of America in the hands of this new president.     I feel for those especially maligned by Trump during his campaign. I am doing my part to promote democratic principles, for liberty for all — for the basic freedoms of all Americans, which I feel are in danger of being weakened and diminished. I am doing this for my children and my grandchildren.”

Atty. Claire Navarro Espina (right) led her family and friends in the Anti-Trump rally in downtown LA. CONTRIBUTED

Her daughter Claire Navarro Espina, 55, a lawyer, did not foresee her mother joining the rest of her politically active family in this mass action.

“My mom did not approve of my activism at the university (University of the Philippines) and joining those rallies in 1979-1982 in protest of Marcos’ Martial Law, which turned to be violent. Compared to those rallies where we were hosed with red dye ink, hit by truncheon-wielding police and military men, the Women’s rally here was a love fest.

List like a wedding reception

The list of family members at the protest included Claire’s three-year-old granddaughter.

Claire’s family members (left to right, first row) Denise, mother Lina, Claire, Christine, Nick;(second row) Kaitlyn, Kyle Noel, Karen, Jeannette, Roann and Mika. CONTRIBUTED

“In New York, my oldest daughter Nicole who is a photographer joined the rally with her boyfriend, Daniel. In San Francisco, my youngest daughter, Lauren, went with her boyfriend, Peter,” said Claire.

Their father, Nick Espina, 58 and who referred to Trump as “Tramp” provided close monitoring to the group worried about their safety, particularly Mrs. Navarro. Her newly married fourth daughter, Paula, could not attend because she was in class.   “But Andrew, who’s 33, a graphic artist, our son-in-law, attended the protest as well.”

The list of those who marched with her in LA looked like Claire’s family roster for a wedding reception:

Karen 52, lawyer (sister); Christine, physician (sister); Denise, 28, teacher ( daughter); Roann, 54, pension analyst ( cousin); Jeannette, 60, insurance producer ( cousin); Noel 55, legal administrator (cousin); Kyle, 24, graduate student (nephew, Karen’s son); Kaitlyn, 17, high school student (niece, Karen’s daughter); Mika, 26, student (Roann’s daughter). Matthew and Jeannine, both 33, and their 4- year-old daughter Hannah also attended the march. Jeanine is Nick’s and Claire’s niece. A few close friends came too.

Would do it again

Would Mrs. Navarro do it again given her physical limitations?   “I would do it over and over again, as often as it takes and for as long as it takes to effect the reasons for the protest and until I think America is in safe hands again,” she responded.

“I hope to remain healthy enough to participate. It is invigorating and inspiring to see so many people united in these democratic pursuits.”

Mrs. Lina Navarro with son-in-law, Nick, who carried a stool for her throughout the march. CONTRIBUTED

Claire said it was the young adults who inspired the rest of the family to take on the politics of the streets given their frustration with the election results. “Our children are very politically active — they have been for many years. They are the ones who led the older generations into activism, especially this last presidential campaign cycle.”

She added that the younger ones were all Bernie Sanders supporters, but after Hillary Clinton capped the nomination, they knew they needed to get behind her presidency despite the many differences in policy. They were all convinced Hillary was the better candidate than Donald Trump.

Devastated

“We were all devastated when Hillary lost — in the manner she lost — to a person not fit for presidential office. To make ourselves feel empowered collectively as a family we decided to be more active politically and socially. To be more engaged with others in our communities, to educate ourselves, and make our voices count.”

In preparing for the mass action, the family set up a text and Facebook brigade.

“I shared with them my experience in mass rallies in the Philippines,” said Claire.

She knew the perils of mass demonstrations and cautioned her family members about getting involved in arguments and melees.

“I was part of the first UP Student Council elections in 1981, under Martial Law. I was part of the first College of Arts and Sciences Student Council along with Lean Alejandro, (a slain youth leader), who was our chairman. The rallies in Arroceros and Batasang Pambansa and those in UP were certainly very different. The Women’s march in Los Angeles was a huge love fest taking on a joyous scene with lots of humor and creativity.

Prior experience

“Our children had prior experience in protest rallies so they are very savvy. I was more concerned for my sisters and cousins and mother. We agreed that at any time if things turned dangerous to leave the group and meet at a pre-ordained location. Karen made sure we had water and food. We marched at a pace that was comfortable for everyone, Nick carted a stool for my mom the entire time.”

Retired LAUSD teacher Lina Navarro on the march. CONTRIBUTED

They made arrangements to get tap cards for the metro. “We called friends and relatives and announced to people and invited them to join our group. My sister Christine bought T-shirts, we bought stickers and used them and the children the night before made posters and signs.”

Mrs. Navarro believes that mass actions such as the Women’s rally last Saturday would make a dent in Trump’s rule. “This is a representative government. We can speak through the lawmakers and with the help of the press, we can exert pressure to effect our demands. History is replete with this example. Protest movements work. We are heard,” she told INQUIRER.net.

Shared goals

The basic things that the group are seeking are one with the rest of the protesters: protection of the environment; civil rights for all — women, LGBTQ, people of color — and the dispossessed and immigrants; free press/media; right of assembly; healthcare and national security. They share a fear that the newly elected President is reckless and dangerous for the country.

Claire said the Saturday rally would not end there.

“Nasty” matriarch Lina Espina Navarro, 81, in her first ever demonstration. CONTRIBUTED

“The experience made us all committed to attending future rallies,” said Claire, “we are creating an activity every week: letter writing; email writing; calling our representatives and senators in Congress.”

Already, in Claire’s Facebook page is a direction to sign the petitions she and her family are supporting: 1) Release Trump’s tax returns; 2) divest or put in blind trust all of Trump’s assets.

With the executive actions signed by the new president, this family and their friends could be very busy in the next few months.