“I think it’s an important duty for me and a conviction for me to be here (Dream Keepers Park) today. I was at the first No Kings protest in June. It was really important for me to stand up and be present among other people here who are fighting for their rights as citizens.” – Elise Berryhill-Taylor
TULSA – Pouring showers may have smeared the colorful signs of protestors at the No Kings Protest at Dream Keepers Park in Tulsa on Oct. 18, however it could not dampen their spirits nor their message: America is not a monarchy. Undeterred by the rain, hundreds of protestors lined South Boulder Avenue and West 21st Street. The demonstration was one of an estimated 2,700 organized across the United States with an estimated 7 million demonstrators in attendance. Another demonstration was held at 71st and Memorial in south Tulsa. Demonstrations in municipalities across Indian Country in Oklahoma included Muskogee, Tahlequah, and Ada. At Tulsa’s downtown protest, Mvskoke citizens Elise Berryhill-Taylor and her son, Thomas Taylor, were present to support the movement and express their concerns regarding policies and actions made by the Trump administration.
This is not the first demonstration Berryhill-Taylor has attended. She also attended the first No Kings Protest held on June 14. Weather conditions for last spring’s protest also saw cloudy skies and showers. In spite of the wet conditions, Berryhill-Taylor described her support as a “duty” to stand up for her rights as a dual citizen.
“I’m really concerned about our (United States) constitution continuing to be diminished and destroyed. I felt like it was my duty as a United States citizen and as a Tribal citizen, Indigenous to this land to stand up and be represented and counted. Rain or shine, I was not going to be deterred from it.”
Taylor has grown disillusioned with the Trump administration. He described the administration as a “dictatorship” and does not feel safe as a citizen. Taylor was drawn to protest because he felt like he could no longer stay silent on these issues.
“Trump has been known to be a pathological liar. Lying about 2020, securing our rights, staying true to the constitution. Everything he’s done, everything he’s said has gone against that. This is a call for action,” Taylor said.
Both Taylor-Berryhill and Taylor believe that Tribal sovereignty under the current administration is at risk. They are both members of Oce Vpofv, Hickory Ground, the Ceremonial Ground that continues to fight against injustices carried out against them by the Poarch Creek Indians.
“Sovereignty has been under attack since our very existence,” Berryhill-Taylor said. “It’s harder now to fight for sovereignty because all of our rights are being taken away. This administration does not recognize Tribal people at all. It’s going to continue to be harder to gain ground and fight for our right to exist, our lands, our right to resources, food sovereignty and every aspect of our culture. That includes our language, our DNA, and ancestral lands like Hickory Ground.”
Both the June 14 and Oct. 18 demonstrations were described as a “festive, hopeful atmosphere” by Taylor-Berryhill. She especially found it inspiring to see like-minded members of the community come together in a red state like Oklahoma. Although Taylor-Berryhill and Taylor agree that the issues they are protesting will not be fixed overnight, they also believe that unity inspires hope during uncertain times.
“If we can come together and be a light in these dark times it can bring some hope for a better future,” Taylor said. “We can’t fix every problem but we know how to be there for each other. As long as we can speak about it, there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
