AVfC Board President Kary Johnson was featured in a story by North Country Public Radio on the President’s Day protest in Elizabethtown, NY, a gathering braved by truly hardy Adirondackers on a frigid day. Here is the full speech:
“Hello everyone. Thank you, Martha, for your leadership in organizing this and to all the leaders out there. I’m Kary Johnson and I am honored to be here today representing Adirondack Voters for Change. On this Presidents’ Day, we stand with you, together in peaceful protest to demand a government that serves the people—not corporate interests, not autocracies, not political elites, but the hardworking individuals and communities that make this country strong. Our democracy depends on us showing up, speaking out, and refusing to be ignored.
Let’s talk about what leadership really means. Because the truth is—leadership isn’t just for presidents. It’s for people like you and me. It’s for neighbors looking out for each other, for folks who work hard every day to make sure their kids have a future, for communities who refuse to be forgotten.
Right now, we are being tested—not just as a country, but as everyday people who love our land, our families, and our way of life. And we have to ask ourselves: What kind of future do we want? Do we want a government that listens to us, that protects our ability to put food on the table, to breathe clean air, to live in dignity? Do we want leaders who fight for us instead of selling us out to the highest bidder? Or do we let others decide for us?
For too long, folks in towns like ours have been told our voices don’t matter. That the system is rigged. That nothing will change. That’s exactly what the people in power want us to believe because when we stop believing in our own power, they get to keep theirs. But history teaches us something different. Every generation that ever changed the world started with people just like us—regular folks who refused to accept the status quo, who stood up, spoke out, and demanded something better.
Think about it. The right to vote, the right to organize, the right to breathe clean air, drink safe water, and earn a fair wage—none of these things were given freely. They were demanded. They were fought for. They were won by people who stood together and refused to back down.
And here, in the Adirondack Park, we know what it means to stand up and fight for what matters. Our communities have a long history of resilience, of coming together to defend our land, our way of life, and our right to be heard. From environmental protections that safeguard our forests and waters to the grassroots movements that have shaped our towns, we have never been people who stand idly by. We know that our strength comes from our unity, our shared values, and our deep connection to this place we call home.
That’s exactly what we must do now. We stand at a crossroads. We can either let powerful interests dictate the future for our children and our communities, or we can rise up and define it ourselves. We can choose to protect what we love—our families, our democracy, our planet. We can choose to defend the freedoms that generations before us fought for. And we can choose to define what leadership means—not as something reserved for the elite, but as powerful collective action of everyday people who refuse to be ignored.
Leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about showing up. It’s about speaking out when it’s easier to stay quiet. It’s about fighting for justice even when the odds are stacked against us. Leadership is parents standing up for their children’s future, workers demanding fair wages, and communities rallying together to protect their homes from corporate greed and government neglect.
And in the Adirondacks, we know that leadership is also about protecting our neighbors, preserving our environment, and ensuring that no one gets left behind. We have a legacy of advocacy, from standing up for public lands to pushing for policies that support working families. We are not just residents of this region—we are stewards, defenders, and changemakers.
We know that the challenges ahead are real. We know that protecting our democracy, defending our freedoms, and securing a future for the next generation won’t be easy. But if history has shown us anything, it’s that when people stand together—when we organize, when we vote, when we refuse to back down—we can accomplish the impossible.
So today, on this President’s Day, let’s commit to that fight. Let’s reclaim leadership as something that belongs to all of us. Let’s protect, defend, and define what we love—not just with words, but with action.
Because the future isn’t something that happens to us. It’s something we build together.
Thank you.”
Adirondack Voters for Change 