By: Frank Santos, Follow South Jersey Community Journalist
CAMDEN, N.J. – On a breezy Thursday evening at Camden’s Cooper’s Poynt Park, dozens of residents, activists, and families gathered along the waterfront to honor the legacy of civil rights icon John Lewis. The event, titled Good Trouble Lives On: Honoring John Lewis through Community + Action, was part of a nationwide day of remembrance on July 17th, marking Lewis’ lifelong fight for justice and encouraging everyday people to keep that spirit alive.
The gathering was organized by Cooper River Indivisible (CRI), a South Jersey grassroots organization that advocates for progressive policies at the local, state, and national levels. Known for empowering members to lead projects that support both political and community-driven causes, CRI has emerged as a central organizing force across the region. Their work includes everything from environmental justice campaigns to large-scale demonstrations, like the No King’s Day protest in Collingswood on June 14, which brought out thousands in opposition to far-right authoritarian politics.
At Cooper’s Poynt, CRI helped transform the historic park into a living, breathing display of people power. This wasn’t just a commemoration, it was a call to continue the work.
Informational tables lined the park’s open lawn, with organizations sharing resources on voting rights, community health, environmental protection, and education access. Mutual aid groups distributed free goods and literature. Kids got involved too, decorating signs and poster boards with hand-drawn tributes to Lewis and phrases like “Good Trouble Forever” and “Power to the People.” Arts and crafts stations gave families a place to connect through creativity.
The atmosphere was equal parts reflective and energizing. Some folks sat quietly under trees, listening to the live speakers. Others engaged in deep conversation or laughter with old friends. It was a community gathering in every sense with familiar faces, shared memories, and collective purpose.
Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen delivered remarks that linked Lewis’ national legacy to the local movement happening in Camden today. “His impact reached across the South, across the nation, and right here in Camden,” Carstarphen said. “We are the legacy. The work of John Lewis lives in every block captain, every volunteer, every young person who stands up for what’s right in this city.”
That message resonated with many in the crowd, especially younger organizers who see Camden’s struggles — from housing insecurity to environmental injustice — as modern-day battlegrounds for civil rights.
Among the most powerful moments of the evening came from poet and peace advocate David Steinberg. Steinberg, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 by the International Writers and Artists Association and received the 2019 Changemaker Award from the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, read an original piece to the crowd.
His poem challenged listeners to confront the slow violence of environmental racism and to view peace not as passivity, but as a form of radical, sustained resistance. “The land remembers everything,” he said, “even the promises that were never kept. If we want to honor the past, we must stop poisoning the present.”
As the sun began to set, families packed up their lawn chairs and blankets and began walking together toward the waterfront promenade. Children held glow sticks. Adults turned on flashlights. A quiet procession stretched along the path with the Ben Franklin Bridge glowing in the background.
Participants locked arms and held their flashlights high, creating a visible chain of solidarity along the Camden side of the river. Some paused to take it in. Others closed their eyes in reflection. You could feel the weight of the moment without needing a single word spoken.
The phrase “Good Trouble”, popularized by Lewis himself, has become a rallying cry in recent years. It stands for the kind of moral resistance that forces change, the kind that disrupts systems and sparks movements. What happened in Camden on July 17th was a reminder that Good Trouble doesn’t always look like a march or a protest. Sometimes it’s food and coloring pages. Sometimes it’s poetry. Sometimes it’s locking arms at sunset with your neighbors, determined to carry a torch forward.
John Lewis once said, “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble.” On this night in Camden, the trouble was peaceful, joyful, and absolutely necessary.
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