A giant blue axolotl dancing to cheers, laughter, and honking horns: That was the vibe at Cary Indivisible’s No Kings protest in October, a gathering of some 5,000 people united against President Donald Trump’s authoritarian agenda.
The local activist group was founded back in February by longtime Democrats Steve and Martha Glass. The group’s first meeting was limited to about 30 people living in the Glasses’ retirement community, Glenaire. But word soon spread. Now, Cary Indivisible has expanded beyond Glenaire to include some 700 official members, mostly “younger seniors” and middle-aged Cary residents, with even more people, of all ages, coming to protests.
The group held six protests throughout the spring and summer, including No Kings 1 in June, which drew more than 2,500 to the corner of Maynard and Kildaire Farm roads. The No Kings 2 protest, on October 18, was Cary Indivisible’s largest to date.
“A fellow here came to me about two weeks before No Kings 2,” recalled Steve. “He said, ‘I’m registered for your protest, but I don’t know what to do.’ And I said, ‘Well, you just have fun. Shout, bring a sign, and have fun.’”
By that measure, Cary Indivisible has been overwhelmingly successful. In a world where fear, anger, and hatred feel like they’re lurking around every corner—ready to leap up and overtake any conversation given the right excuse—these protesters are putting out joy. As Steve says, they’re having a lot of fun making fools of themselves.
Of course, there’s a serious agenda behind the inflatable costumes and rainbow peace signs. Cary Indivisible is a microcosm of a larger, nationwide movement dedicated to preserving democracy and resisting right-wing politics. In practice, that means raising money for immigration lawyers, calling members of Congress, and canvassing neighborhoods ahead of elections.
Many Cary Indivisible members are vehemently against ICE and the elimination of DEI programs, and enthusiastically for Medicaid and universal health care. The uniting sentiment, however, is of power to the people.
Protesters at Cary Indivisible events hold signs that read “Stop truth decay” and “Due process is hot.” In October, one hastily written poster-board sign avowed, “When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.” Another questioned passersby, asking “If you’re not anti-fascist, what are you?”
Cary Indivisible’s rapid growth is reflected in cities across the United States, where “No Kings” has become a rallying cry, a touchstone, and a slogan seen on bumper stickers, pins, and T-shirts. It also coincides with big Democratic wins in Cary, where Democrats defeated Republicans in all three city council races on ballots this fall; every seat on the council is now filled by a Democrat.
Steve and Martha Glass aren’t new to political engagement. Steve was the man in charge of Jim Hunt’s first successful campaign for governor in 1977. After that, he stayed on as the executive director of the North Carolina Democratic Party. Meanwhile, Martha was working as Hunt’s executive secretary and, later, as a legislative liaison in the Department of Administration. In the early 2000s, she led the development of the state’s agritourism industry in the Department of Agriculture.
Both have years of experience in grassroots political organizing, skills that have enabled them to create a safe, well-organized, and sustainable activist group. The couple regularly send out email newsletters, connect members with training opportunities, and survey people about what they’d like to do next. Crucially, there’s also something incredibly compelling about the way they talk politics: blunt, with no prevarication.
Steve, who retired from the U.S. Navy as a two-star admiral, openly called Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth an “idiot,” speculating about his impeachment. As he discussed the toxic political environment, he half-joked about being deported or “snatched off the street” for speaking against Republicans.
Until recently, the Democratic Party has “acted as if everything was business as usual,” Steve said. Frustration with the political establishment was one factor that led him and Martha to start Cary Indivisible. While the Republican Party has been incredibly active, marshalling support for Project 2025 and driving the rise of MAGA and white nationalism, the Democratic Party has been sluggish and unorganized, Steve argued.
“The day after Trump won on November 5 of last year, people started coming to us saying, ‘What do we do? What can we do? This is awful,’” he said.
That first meeting, Martha added, “every single person in that room began to vent one at a time. It took us an extra hour just to let everyone say what was on their mind, what they wanted to do, what they were afraid of, what they were hoping for.”
That pain, worry, and fear people were feeling became the emotional catalyst for the movement. People came to Cary Indivisible in search of community, empowerment.
And while Steve and Martha have also felt worried, afraid, and even burned out by the cascade of terrible news coming from the Trump administration, there’s a new feeling growing with every event they organize: hope.
“We know we’re doing the right thing,” Martha said. “We’re trying to save our country.”
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