BLACKSBURG (WSLS 10) - Dozens of people in Blacksburg did not greet Donald Trump's inauguration warmly.
The Coalition for Justice group joined with several other organizations to host a peaceful protest, followed by a march through town.
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Shortly after Trump was inaugurated as America's 45th President, activists took to the corner of North Main and College Avenue to use signs and loudspeakers to voice their opposition.
The protesters marched holding signs that read "Trump is a racist".
As they made their way through Blacksburg, they also hoisted signs calling Trump a "liar" and a "tool of the rich".
Musician Truth-da-realest says this visceral reaction to the inauguration comes from minority communities feeling oppressed.
"I am in the LGBT community, and of course I'm African American, and I'm a woman, so with Trump of course being president, it's kind of hard for me," said Truth-da-realest.
Hard, because she says there is a feeling Trump may erase some of the social progress made over the last several years.
"Gay marriage did just become legal for me, I was like great finally. I feel like that's a human right everybody should have. So with him talking about well maybe that's not something that we should have," said Truth-da-realest.
Others, like David Seriff from the group Preserve Montgomery County, are worried about Trump's policy toward global warming.
"We have so much evidence that we're really destroying our planet if we don't make a change, and additional fossil fuel infrastructure makes no sense," said Seriff.
Other issues, like workers rights and a $15 minimum wage, were focuses of the march.
Even though these activists don't feel they have the support of the White House, they say they'll continue to push for their community to support these issues.
"It's different cultures, different people out here that's trying to show the same support for the same issues, and I hope that this shows, something will spark and hopefully we can get a change forward," said Truth-da-realest.
"This is the only thing we can do at this point is stand up and voice our concerns and let people know that it's time for change, and that we're not going to stand for going backwards either," said Seriff.
Members of the Coalition for Justice say they plan to remain vocal throughout Donald Trump's term in office, promising this protest won't be their last.