“I don’t care if you’re a Clinton supporter, a Trump supporter or a Bernie supporter—we are a movement. It’s not about who’s in the White House; it’s about who’s in the streets,” National Nurses United (NNU) Executive Director RoseAnn DeMoro told a crowd of thousands of nurses, workers, labor leaders, environmental and other consumer advocates gathered in Washington D.C. today.

Representing 60 national progressive organizations, rally attendees converged on the capitol to celebrate the apparent defeat of the Trans Pacific Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)—and to champion the continued path forward for a people’s agenda of social and economic justice and equality for all.

“Brothers and sisters, there is a lot of anguish across the land,” said featured speaker Sen. Bernie Sanders. “But if you look at history, you learn that when ordinary people stand up by the millions, when we don’t let demagogues divide us up by race or sex, or men or women, born here or born abroad—when we stand together and focus on economic, social, racial, and environmental justice … nobody, nobody is going to stop us.”

“It’s time for a new direction for the Democratic party,” Sanders added. “If we are going to go forward successfully, the Democratic party has to recognize important realities. Yes, we are better off today than eight years ago, but millions of working class, middle class, and low-income people today are living in despair. We are going to reach out to those workers. We will stand up to the establishment. We will take on Wall Street.”

The TPP’s demise was announced by President Obama last week, post-election. Speakers made it clear, however, that its shelving was not the result of the incoming Trump administration, but rather, according to NNU Co-President Jean Ross “as a result of years of activism from people around the country.”

“It’s important to be clear: TPP was stopped because of you,” Tefere Gebre, Executive Vice President, AFL-CIO, affirmed to the cheering crowd. “Donald Trump had nothing to do with it. We all, working together, made TPP toxic for politicians. I searched all over, and I couldn’t find a single call Trump made to members of congress to [stop the Fast Track approval of TPP]. You made millions of calls to stop TPP.”

“Donald trump did not kill the TPP, it was D.O.A. before he had his election day,” said Lori Wallach, Director, Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch. “You all did that by working across this country month after month for six years. It was people power across borders—our brothers and sisters in other countries, fighting against corporate power—that brought down the TPP.  They’re the ones who delayed it with their campaigns so we could organize. We did this together, united across borders.”

“It’s so important for us to recognize this moment. We have shown the power of the people and what is possible in killing this destructive trade deal,” said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI). “We’re going to make sure the people’s voice continues to be heard.”

Looking ahead, post-election, speakers added that an atmosphere of racism, sexism and bigotry heightened during the Trump campaign and subsequent presidential win—has no place in a movement to advance a healthier society, by and for all Americans.

“Racism, sexism and hate cannot be tolerated on our watch,” said former Ohio state senator Nina Turner, noting that America has struggled with these issues throughout its history—and it’s important for people who were woken up by this election to stay awake. “I see a sign out there that says, ‘Love Trumps Hate,’ and we have to make sure we do that.”

“We will defend every immigrant and defend against every hate crime,” said Larry Cohen, Chairman of Our Revolution. “But we will also fight forward. When we act as if an injury to one is an injury to all—not just as a slogan, but when we really act that way—we will win.”

After all, the strength of a people’s movement, said speakers, is its ability to unify, not to divide.

“As long as we collectively work together, fight together, we can do anything,” said Liz Powell, Secretary Treasurer of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU).

“We will not compromise on issues of racism, sexism, xenophobia and Islamaphobia … So many people have died in struggle [for justice]—our Native American brothers and sisters, our black and Latino brothers and sisters. One hundred years ago today, women didn’t even have right to vote,” said Sen. Sanders. “We should be proud of all the progress we have made. Donald trump—we are not going backward … Let’s go forward together.”

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