Community organizations and religious leaders in South Los Angeles are organizing a demonstration May 29 to oppose President Trump’s reconciliation package, warning that the legislation could harm vulnerable communities throughout the region.
The protest is scheduled for 10 a.m. at 3840 Crenshaw Blvd., in front of the Social Security office near 39th Street. Representatives from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference-Southern California, NAACP, South Los Angeles Clergy for Public Accountability and the Raising Canes Movement will lead the demonstration, with a press conference planned for 10:30 a.m.
“There is an attack on the vulnerable, marginalized poor, disenfranchised and elderly and we refuse to stand by and not do something about it,” said Rev. William D. Smart Jr., co-pastor of the Christ Liberation Ministries and president/CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference-Southern California.
Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” includes at least $880 billion in cuts largely to Medicaid and nearly $800 billion in reduced spending in the Medicaid program. The Congressional Budget Office said the GOP’s reconciliation bill would lead to $500 billion in cuts to Medicare. The CBO estimated that the Medicaid cuts could cause roughly 8 million people to lose their health insurance coverage, and that number could rise to 15 million thanks to other provisions in the legislation.
For South L.A. residents, many of whom rely on these safety net programs, the stakes are particularly high. The Crenshaw corridor, known as “the heart of African-American commerce in Los Angeles,” serves communities where access to healthcare and social services remains critical.
“There is an attack on the vulnerable, marginalized poor, disenfranchised and elderly and we refuse to stand by and not do something about it,” Smart said.
The legislation targets Medicaid, which covers more than 70 million lower-income Americans, and includes new “community engagement requirements” of at least 80 hours per month of work, education or service for able-bodied adults without dependents. House Republicans also agreed on significant changes in eligibility to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The Rev. Norman S. Johnson Sr., pastor of First New Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church and convenor of South Los Angeles Clergy for Public Accountability, criticized the legislation’s priorities.
“Organizations, religious leaders, activists and everyday citizens concerned about the plight of the poor and least of these, do not consider legislation benefiting the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the poor, to be in the best interest of the city, county, state and country,” he said.
The protest location carries symbolic weight. Crenshaw Boulevard has long been central to Black Los Angeles, serving as both a commercial hub and a site of community organizing. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, originally established in 1957 to coordinate local protest groups throughout the South under Martin Luther King Jr.’s leadership, drew on the power and independence of black churches to support its activities.
Bishop Byron L. Smith Sr., pastor of Gethsemane Christian Love MBC and executive board member of the Empowerment Congress Conference, framed the demonstration in moral terms.
“A just society does not turn its back on those who paved the way,” Smith said. “Let us educate, engage and empower one another to stand up and speak out, because protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medi-Cal is not just policy, it’s a moral promise to our seniors across the country.”
Republican lawmakers have proposed cuts to Medicaid that could result in the loss of healthcare coverage for nearly 9 million individuals and leave over 7 million without insurance over the next decade. These proposed reductions may have a greater impact on communities of color, which tend to have higher rates of Medicaid enrollment for healthcare access.
The demonstration is being organized by a coalition of both faith-based and secular organizations that have expressed concerns about the potential effects of the proposed legislation on their communities.
