The performance at the Lincoln Memorial was organized by the advocacy arm of Hungryman Productions, led by Bryan Buckley, in memory of Renee Good and Alex Pretty. Photo: Screengrab/ Instagram @firstamendmenttroop
On Presidents Day (February 16, 2026), the First Amendment Corps performed “Resistdance” at the Lincoln Memorial, a powerful tribute and act of artistic dissent to commemorate the lives lost due to Trump’s recent immigration policies.
John F. There are performers from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as well as many dancers from various Broadway shows including Hamilton, MJ & Wicked.
The show was organized by the advocacy arm of Hungryman Productions, led by Brian Buckley, to honor the memory of Renee Good and Alex Pretty, as well as draw attention to issues of government transparency in the investigation of their murders.
Symbolism of the ‘Resist Dance’
Choreographed by Tony Award-winner Matthew Stephens, “Resist Dance” features 22 dancers representing the 22 days that passed between Good and Pretty’s deaths. The performance simultaneously frames the gravity of their loss as a call for justice.
Choosing the Lincoln Memorial as a backdrop is significant given the ongoing struggle for civil rights in America.
However, John F. A subsequent Guerrilla performance at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was abruptly halted after law enforcement intervened, deploying 23 officers to shut down the show.
Who are Renee Good and Alex Pretty?
Renee Nicole Good (37) is a poet, mother of three, and recipient of the 2020 Academy of American Poets Award who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis. Alex Pretty, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot and killed by federal officers at an anti-immigration rally in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026.
Pretti’s death at the hands of federal agents came less than three weeks after Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent on a street 2 km (1.25 mi) away. Subsequently, Minneapolis became the focal point of an immigration policy backlash, where pro- and anti-ICE protest groups clashed over the Trump administration’s double-down on immigration enforcement.
Published – February 18, 2026 11:01 am IST
