News / Articles

On Saturday, July 18, 2026, the League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area hosted “Good Trouble Lives On,” a community teach-in event during this year’s Weekend of Action which honors John Lewis, continuing his call to cause “good trouble.” Through my internship with the San Antonio League this summer, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the planning and execution of this event. John Lewis’s message is truly inspirational, so it was an honor to be involved in continuing his legacy at an event that served to educate our community and offer opportunities for attendees to get into "good trouble.” 

The importance of this event could not be stressed enough at this time when we see unprecedented attacks on our right to vote and the implementation of new barriers, ultimately impacting the accessibility of voting. Sometimes, it can seem as though there is a new restriction talked about every day, making it harder to exercise our right to vote, as the whole process appears to become increasingly convoluted. This confusion over recent headlines on voting legislation, paired with the spread of voting misinformation, will consequently impact the voting experience negatively for many who deserve to exercise their right to vote with confidence. “Good Trouble Lives On” was a teaching day focused on community education to alleviate this confusion. 

We started the event with community conversations during which I was fortunate to lead a group of diverse individuals with unique perspectives. I value opportunities like these because it is always important that we listen and learn from each other as we share our ideas and thoughts. My favorite part of these conversations was sharing what good trouble we would all get into, and hearing from others how they plan to make a difference.

After our table conversations, we listened to engaging, informative, and inspirational speakers. As I listened to them, I gained new information on the history of voting and voting rights, a new perspective of my work in helping to defend voting rights, insight into the road ahead during Texas’s next legislative session, and clarification on different pieces of voting legislation. This information and hearing our speakers speak so passionately about democracy and voting was truly motivational and inspirational, and I am sure everyone in that full room felt the same. 

My sense of community grew stronger as I conversed with people concerned about the same issues as me. This feeling sticks out the most, because the fight to defend democracy, voter rights, and voting accessibility can often feel exhausting or seem futile. It is very easy these days to let those feelings translate into a sense of hopelessness, but community is an important and powerful antidote against feeling hopeless. Being reminded that others share similar concerns and look to cause “good trouble” to protect our most fundamental right to vote, I felt hope, possibility, and motivation to work towards a vision in which everyone has the confidence, knowledge, desire, and the right to engage in our electoral processes. I hope to hold on to this reminder, I am grateful to have experienced an event like this, and I look forward to similar opportunities at future events.