By Emily Haerter

There is a storm brewing in Sacramento, and it consists of a raging gaggle of grannies.

It all started back in 1987, in Victoria, British Columbia, when middle-class ladies started protesting the environmental threat that U.S. Navy warships were posing to their woods and harbors. The underlying sexism and ageism running rampant through society at the time only added ammunition to the Grannies’ outrage. From dressing in lab coats while holding Geiger counters as they tested radiation in puddles with turkey basters, to steadfastly crouching under umbrellas freckled with holes in the rain, the original Grannies rallied against a lack of protection that Canadians had against nuclear fallout at that time.

Today, the Raging Grannies have found a foothold in the U.S., including in California’s Capital City.

Donning aprons and frilly hats, the Sacramento branch of Grannies have led rousing sing-a-longs to peacefully protest environmental, humanitarian and patriarchal issues stemming from current events.

Joan Kelly was the founder of Sacramento’s cohort of Grannies, and initially road-tripped down to Santa Cruz in 2015 to learn the ropes and lyrics of iconic Raging Granny ballads. With 927 songs in the Grannies’ repertoire, newcomers in Sacramento had plenty to memorize – not to mention quirky aprons to knit.

Kelly had an iconic role in the Sacramento group. She tragically passed away in February. Her legacy of humor and charisma while fighting for social justice is a form of leadership that’s still felt in the City of Trees.

Faye Wilson Kennedy, one of the founders of the Sacramento Raging Grannies “remix,” took the lead after a short-lived disbandment during the height of Covid. As an activist throughout high school and college, Kennedy always found ways to push for change and liberal reform. Her time working with the Sacramento Area Black Caucus has been one of many ways she’s stayed in the fight for community empowerment. She’s also also been deeply involved in the Black Parallel School Board and Sacramento’s Poor People Campaign.

Inclusivity and accessibility are essential for the new “remix” of the Raging Grannies. Within the group, people of all religions, ethnicities, ages and genders are encouraged to belt out songs in uniform.

“Feeling welcome at the table” is the motto that Kennedy carries to meetings and public protests. As a seasoned activist, Kennedy acknowledges that different people – and their perspectives – are necessary for the Raging Grannies’ growth and togetherness.

“We need everyone involved, young and old, to make sure our country doesn’t become more fascist than it is,” Kennedy explains.

Pennie Taylor, another member of the Grannies, also has a lengthy background in political protest. As a teenager living through the Vietnam war, Taylor worried about the environmental and socioeconomic damage of conflict, as well as an unjust policies and unfair living conditions for marginalized groups here at home. For example, in the 1960s, organizations like the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee pushed for Filipino farm workers to achieve unionization and fair wages. Protesting and striking around growers could lead to serious repercussions, including sudden evictions. In lieu of this, boycotting table grapes became Taylor’s normal routine until the farm workers in Delano and the Central Valley achieved livable conditions. Taylor’s mother, Esther Franklin, also walked side by side with civil rights icon Cesar Chavez, a leader of the American Farmworker’s movement.

Another member of the Raging Grannies is Darrien DeLu, who first crossed paths with them through the Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom. DeLu believes the group’s humorous and creative approach towards activism has a higher success rate with politically impartial people, using clever lyrics in catchy songs and looking “silly” to demand attention.

“Certainly, the topics we are discussing are extremely serious,” DeLu said, “but, to my mind, that makes it all the more important to be able to lighten the mood.”

While participating in recent protest events like the ‘Fall of Freedom’ call at the Sacramento Poetry Center, the Raging Grannies encourage members to use artistic expression and their passion for storytelling as tools to punch through close-mindedness.

“Creativity is a way to unlock people,” DeLu reflected. “We get so locked into our daily lives and the way we do things, once people discover they can be creative and playful, it opens them up into another way of being.”

As the Trump administration has helped overturn Roe V. Wade and launched controversial and sometimes violent ICE raids, the reinvigorated Grannies have dusted off their aprons and prepared their songs of battle. This was especially clear at the Solar Climate Festival on September 21, when the ‘remixed Grannies’ first announced they were returning in full force.

“One of the things about songs is that, by touching people on an emotional level, one has a chance to get past the automatic turn-off that a lot of people experience when talking about politics,” DeLu noted.

Lately, the Raging Grannies have been on the frontlines of the ‘No Kings’ protests in Sacramento, rallying the crowd with a spin-off song from Queen’s “We Will Rock You” – i.e., “We Will Stop You (Trump).”

With more uprisings on the way, the Raging Grannies feel they have much to plan and no time to waste.

“We are all activists who want to rage against the current situation,” Taylor observed. “Of course, there are many issues and songs, but we want to do it with humor.”