On March 21, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York held rallies at Denver’s Civic Center and the University of Northern Colorado campus. A crowd of 34,000 individuals showed up in support of the “Fighting Oligarchy Tour” at Civic Center Park.

Sanders’s tour comes at a time of heightened political tension in the United States. He hopes to “take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.”

Not only is the duo trying to garner support of Democrats for the 2026 midterm elections, but they are also trying to recognize the difficult times a lot of people in the United States are going through right now and reflect on how to move forward.

During the rally, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez bashed Trump and Musk’s efforts to cut government spending and downsize federal agencies.

Advocacy, as highlighted by both lawmakers, is essential in confronting the widening gap between the rich and the working class. When corporate interests and billionaires like Elon Musk are allowed to dominate public policy, the needs of everyday Americans are being sidelined.

The importance of advocacy becomes especially urgent in moments of crisis. With rising costs of living, unaffordable healthcare and deepening climate threats, communities across the U.S. are struggling to stay afloat.

Rather than accepting these challenges as inevitable, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez called on the crowd to push back against the systems that perpetuate them. Advocacy, they argued, is how we reclaim our voice in a political climate that is too often shaped by the wealthy and powerful.

The rally, overall, highlighted how advocacy works best when it’s intersectional and inclusive. Local leaders and union organizers joined the lawmakers on stage, speaking about issues ranging from public education to environmental justice.

These voices underscored the idea that everyone has a role to play, whether it’s through voting, protesting or organizing within one’s own community. Collective advocacy is how marginalized voices become impossible to ignore.

Recently, more Denver organizations and individuals have been participating in civic engagement, exercising their First Amendment right. Yet, this growing wave of activism has also been met with growing repression.

In a post from the Denver branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (Denver PSL), they stated that “people in Colorado and across the country are being targeted, abducted and imprisoned for exercising their First Amendment rights.”

As demonstrations and rallies become more frequent, so do reports of surveillance, intimidation and arrests aimed at silencing dissent. 

In the same post, Denver PSL also stated: “Jeanette Vizguerra, a prominent immigrant rights activist in Colorado, was abducted by ICE at her workplace on March 17th — she was clearly targeted because of her activism.” 

This incident draws attention to what many see as a coordinated attempt to suppress resistance. Vizguerra’s detainment, which advocates claim was politically motivated, has mobilized renewal calls for both immigration reform and protections for organizers. 

Though the future is unclear, this growing activism is not only incredible to witness, but it’s also important to be a part of, especially here at the University of Denver. More and more students are attending rallies, hosting panels and creating spaces for political education.

Activism isn’t always easy. It can be exhausting, frustrating and even dangerous. But, it’s necessary, and here in Denver, it’s alive and growing.