For three months, local activists and residents have been out in D.C. streets demanding an end to police violence and racial injustice. They’ve marched all over the city; they’ve pulled down — and attempted to pull down — statues of historical figures with racist pasts; they’ve faced flash-bangs, low-flying helicopters, batons, rubber bullets, pepper spray and arrest; they’ve sung songs and made art; and they’ve created a community of protest centered around Black Lives Matter plaza.

On Friday, locals were joined by thousands from out of town, who came to attend the 2020 March on Washington. The event, organized by Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, was meant to be a space to mourn with families who have lost loved ones to police violence and chart a path forward for the country.

Some locals spoke from the stage in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Nee Nee Taylor, a core organizer with D.C.’s Black Lives Matter chapter, gave the first live speech of the day. Two youth organizers with the D.C. group Black Swan Academy — Ceon Dubose, 18, and London Jones, 15 — gave a joint speech demanding that police be removed from D.C. schools. Coalition of Concerned Mothers president Marion Gray-Hopkins, whose son Gary Hopkins Jr. was killed by Prince George’s County Police two decades ago, addressed the crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. And so did Kenithia Alston, whose son Marqueese Alston was killed by D.C. police in 2018.

But as is true on so many occasions, the moment was fraught for longtime residents and organizers here in D.C., who lack representation in Congress — and who often feel disconnected from the nationally-focused events that take place in their hometown.

That disconnect felt even more jarring on the nights following the march, when protesters, including many locals, were once again pushed out of Black Lives Matter Plaza by police using flash-bangs and chemical spray.

So, as we arrive at three months since the beginning of protests in D.C., we asked some locals to reflect on the march as it was happening — and on a summer of outrage, grief, joy, resolution and promise. Listen at the audio link, or read highlights below. — Jenny Gathright & Margaret Barthel

On why they march

I’m at the march today because I think that it’s very important that I speak for young people and people like me, because I feel like our voices aren’t fully represented and people are making decisions for us, basically, that they shouldn’t be making decisions for us. — London Jones, Anacostia High School student and youth organizer at Black Swan Academy

What’s going through my head is sympathy for the mothers and people who have lost people through gun violence and police brutality. — Ceon DuBose, Johnson C. Smith University student and youth organizer at Black Swan Academy

This work for me is what keeps me going. It’s my solace for dealing with depression. It’s my solace for comforting myself in my moments where I couldn’t be comforted when I was incarcerated. So doing things like this allowed me to self-soothe. So this was very important for me today. — Qiana Johnson, core organizer with Black Lives Matter D.C.

Mixed feelings about a national moment

Some people [were] coming from Portland, some people [were] coming from Atlanta, some people [were] coming from L.A. And all of them were very new to the environment here in D.C. So they weren’t very aware of how MPD has responded to other altercations, such as what happened on August 13th with the mass arrest. — Kian Kelley-Chung, documentarian and photojournalist

I asked a bunch of questions about how people thought, how people felt about the national march and everything with Al Sharpton and whatnot. And mostly most of the protesters thought that it was just performative activism. …. And it’s not really representative of what they want their movement to be seen as. One of the main points is that the groups we’re with call themselves abolitionists and considered the National Action March reformists. — Andrew Jasiura, documentarian and photojournalist

The worst part about today’s march is that Al Sharpton wanted to bring people together to make changes in the federal government. And D.C. residents don’t have a vote in Congress. That was painful within itself to know that we don’t even have a vote to take action on what is being called for the most and reference to George Floyd bills, John Lewis bills. So that was another gut punch today. — Jay Brown, uncle of Jeffrey Price, who was killed May 4th, 2018 by D.C. Metropolitan Police

A moment of joy in the rain

There was a lot of chants that were being led. And a lot of dance and song that was being led. And it was a moment where the movement was able to show that Black Lives Matter is not just about acknowledging Black death and Black trauma, but also honoring and respecting and celebrating Black joy and Black life. — Kian Kelley-Chung

On a summer of protests

This summer has been an awakening for many across the country. But for myself, it’s only been an extension of what we have been enduring and D.C. for years. — Jay Brown

The summer? It’s just like another day in the office for me … I’m using it as an opportunity and a point — a point of intervention, where we can bring people in and let them know that there’s other places to plug in besides walking down the street that has Black Lives Matter painted on the sidewalk. — Qiana Johnson

I don’t think this summer has changed my perspective on activism. I stand where I stand, and I’mma keep fighting as long as I can. — Jessica Parks, Bennett College student and Black Swan Academy youth organizer

This story originally appeared on wamu.org