What does 50501 mean? The grassroots initiative behind the ‘No Kings’ protest

It may look like a ZIP code*, but don’t be confused. As Donald Trump prepares to celebrate his 79th birthday on June 14 with a $45 million military parade through Washington, D.C., a very different message is taking root across the country with the number 50501.

America: No Kings

It’s not a date, a bill number, or even a location. It stands for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement” – the shorthand behind the 50501 Movement, a grassroots push that’s organizing “No Kings” protests in all 50 states on the same day.

If it was his 80th birthday, it’d make (slightly) more sense to throw a huge bash – although his predecessor didn’t – and that would also align with America’s 250 year party. But the president rather enjoys being front and center, likely influenced by certain other global leaders.

So while Trump rolls tanks past the Lincoln Memorial, protestors will gather in parks, town squares, and courthouse steps nationwide. The message: America doesn’t do kings, and certainly not birthday parades for presidents.

Organizers describe the action as a peaceful rebuke of what they call Trump’s “authoritarian spectacle.” Their goal, they say, is to show what real democracy looks like – not armored vehicles and self-glorification.

There is an interactive map that lets you find local events or register your own. Celebrity support, including from Chrissy Teigen, has amplified the message, though the effort remains intentionally decentralized.

In their words: “We’re not gathering to feed his ego. We’re building a movement that leaves him behind.”

(* If you’re reading this from Fort Dodge, Iowa, and especially in Webster County, I know, I know)

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