Our Story
Several Chevy Chase DC residents started NOPE in November 2016 shortly after Donald J. Trump won the U.S. presidential election. Our goal was to bring together our neighbors, friends, and colleagues in the DC area to take tangible and decisive actions against the new administration's unacceptable policies and programs. We called ourselves NOPE, which stood for Neighbors Organizing for Power and Equality.
Pence Moves In
Two local events occurred soon after the election that motivated NOPE to expand our mission. First, Vice President-elect Mike Pence moved into our neighborhood. Neighbors who lived across the street from his temporary home, organized a Pride rainbow flag “welcome” by ordering boxes of rainbow flags to stand against Pence’s homophobia. By Inauguration Day, more than 300 flags were flying in the neighborhood.
And then…Comet
On December 4, a man from North Carolina entered Comet Ping Pong, our local pizza restaurant, with his assault weapon to "self-investigate" the fake news that Comet was involved in child sex-trafficking. Thus, with the Trump election, Pence in the neighborhood, and local business under fire, we united to regain the White House and to defend our democracy through electoral politics.