By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor
Westborough – A group of approximately 30 residents gathered at the rotary June 20 to protest the Trump administration’s controversial policy on separating migrant children from their parents after the families have entered the country illegally at the Texas border.
Although no counter protesters joined the event, a few dissenters showed their displeasure at times, organizers said. But for the most part commuters were positive, beeping their horns in approval and giving a thumbs up.
The protest was organized by Westborough resident Cristin Hodgens, who after participating in last year’s Boston Women’s March, formed the statewide advocacy group Wave of Women.
“The ideals shared in that march need to be continued on a local level,” she said. “To quote [the late Speaker of the House] Tip O’Neil, ‘all politics is local’. Not everyone can make it into Boston or Worcester but you can do something in your own community.”
Although the name is Wave of Women, the group is nonpartisan and inclusive of all, she stressed.
“It’s important to note that we welcome everyone – women, men, transgender, political parties, all ages all income brackets,” she added. ”We all have a lot of common ground.”
Gibbs Mitchell decided to quickly create a sign and join the protest at the rotary, he said, after hearing about it from a neighbor.
“It’s horrible, terrible what is happening,” he said. “This is not what America is about.”
ShaQuan Reed agreed, adding “We need to treat every child as though they were our own. We need to treat every person as if they were our neighbor. If we don’t what will happen to us when it’s our turn to need help?”
Nancy Perkins, who also helped to organize the event on behalf of the local advocacy group Westborough Indivisible noted that she was “fed up.”
“It’s not a political thing,” she said. “It’s about humanity, it’s about people.”
“Unless we are Native Americans, we are all immigrants in one way or another. There’s a lot of room in this country – there’s room for all.”
For more information on Wave of Women, visit www.waveofwomen.org and on Facebook at WAVE of Women- Westborough, MA. 
