Shortly after beginning his first presidential term, Trump enacted an executive order America came to call the “muslim ban”. Executive Order 13769 lowered the number of refugees to be admitted into the United States in 2017 to 50,000, suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for 120 days, suspended the entry of Syrian refugees indefinitely, directed some cabinet secretaries to suspend entry of those whose countries do not meet adjudication standards under U.S. immigration law for 90 days, and included exceptions on a case-by-case basis.

This “Muslim travel ban” deeply affected us (Giving in Paris) as we witnessed its impact from afar. Feeling a strong sense of responsibility, my fellow expats and I decided we needed to do something. With the content we had documented of the most wholesome interactions with refugees, we knew we had to speak up, even from across the Atlantic.

What happened next was truly amazing. We created a Facebook event for a gathering near the Eiffel Tower, where we planned to make signs and raise our voices in solidarity. We had a blast organizing this event, meeting at a café and then an art studio, where we drank espresso and wine and made signs all night long. We spread the word through our networks, inviting friends and posting in local groups. We went to bed that night excited but unaware of what was to come.

The next morning, our phones were flooded with notifications. The expected attendance for our event had skyrocketed to (nearly) a staggering 10,000 people. We caught the attention of international media and even the then-presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron. Being part of such a powerful, historical event was mind-blowing. That day, I realized the true power of the people and how it is the key to defending ourselves from people in power.