Catching up with the young activists as they press for the removal of the Trump regime through multiple protest actions.
NOVEMBER 8, 2025
In 2024, Sully Atheirne was a high school senior planning to go to college after they graduated. Then the unthinkable happened: Donald Trump was elected president for a second term. Though they’d participated in several climate demonstrations and Black Lives Matter protests, Atheirne didn’t consider themselves an activist. But now, instead of attending classes and studying, the 19-year-old spends their days fighting to save our democracy with the organization Refuse Fascism.
“As Trump took power, I started to get out there more and more,” Atheirne told 48 Hills. “I had a bullhorn and I was leading chants on a pole at one protest—I like to climb things. One of the Refuse Fascism volunteers zeroed in on me and was like ‘Let’s sign this person up!’”
Formed in 2016 by Andy Zee, Sunsara Taylor, Cornel West, and others after Trump’s first election, Refuse Fascism recognized the serious threat his divisive policies, insatiable appetite for unchecked power, and white supremacy agenda posed to democracy. The organization aims to unite people from all backgrounds and political beliefs to join in mass peaceful protest and resistance in the streets and throughout society. According to a statement on their website, the group’s ultimate goal is to “create such a profound political crisis that Trump cannot impose his fascist program or maintain his hold on power.”
After Atheirne’s first encounter with Refuse Fascism, they attended one of the Northern California chapter’s Zoom meetings for on-boarding new volunteers. They were all in. Participating in, and helping to organize Refuse Fascism events, soon became their full-time (unpaid) job. You may have seen and heard Atheirne at local protests—perhaps standing or sitting on top of something—bullhorn in hand, bellowing the group’s signature chant: “Trump must go now!”
