SPRINGDALE -- When Keilee Hernandez arrived at school the day after the presidential election, she was one of the few upset over the outcome.
Hernandez, who is Hispanic, felt sick. She was afraid for her family, nervous they were in some sort of danger.
After school ended, the 8-year-old unloaded her fears to her family. Despite reassurance from her mother, Keilee felt compelled to write about her feelings.
On Saturday, Keilee joined hundreds of others at the Shiloh Square for a rally against racism, misogyny and anti-environmentalism organizers say have emanated from Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
During his campaign, Trump referred to Mexican immigrants as "rapists," battled allegations of sexual assault and proclaimed global warming was a hoax crafted by China to weaken U.S. manufacturing.
"Our voices can be heard, even if we're only children," said Keilee, who advocated writing letters to Congress. "We are great. We are strong. We are the United States of America."
The People United March was organized by several groups in Northwest Arkansas, including the Northwest Arkansas Workers' Justice Center, Southerners On New Ground and members of the Socialist Alternative party, said Layza Lopez-Love, emcee for the event.
"A lot of us woke up the morning after the election shocked by the news of who was going to become our next president," Lopez-Love said. "We thought 'What can we do?' We're going to come together and show solidarity and show resistance and in a very visual way start the conversations about how we can unite."
Marchers departed about noon from the square, heading west on Emma Avenue. Shouts for equality bellowed from the throng, which also displayed signs advocating for peace and praising diversity.
At the intersection of Emma Avenue and Thompson Street, the march stopped, but continued to chant for peace, equality and justice. Dozens of motorists honked in support of the rally and slowed down to wave or flash a thumbs up.
Lopez-Love said engaging Trump supporters is critical to bringing about change.
"Breaks won't go to anyone but [Trump] and billionaires," she said. "A mass movement against Trump will need to appeal to all. Let's unite and come together. If Trump wants a wall, let's give him a wall -- a wall of commitment."
Diego Barrera, who's active with the Northwest Arkansas Center for Sexual Assault, said the movement goes beyond race because several minority groups feel threatened.
"It's about religion, gender identity, sexual orientation and sexual violence," Barrera said. "The queer community is afraid and scared."
Others offered their concerns about the broader impact of climate change.
Benetick Maddison has spent most of his life in Arkansas, but hails from the Marshall Islands. The country, most of which is about 7 feet above sea level, has been besieged by drought and flooding in recent years.
"People often ask me 'Why don't you guys move somewhere else?' I tell them the islands have been our home for the past 5,000 years," Maddison said. "It's not easy packing up and leaving behind something that's very close to your heart and part of the Marshallese culture."
Maddison added Saturday's march was a step toward unification.
"It's my hope that by the end of the day, this march will continue until hate and division are defeated in our country," he said.
NW News on 11/20/2016