Operation Blue Horizon drawing hundreds to action

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This has been the year of marches and protests, not just in big cities across the country, but also in Kokomo. Hundreds have gathered in downtown to pace around the Howard County Courthouse, brandishing signs and chanting slogans in opposition to the current environment.

And one name keeps surfacing: Operation Blue Horizon. It’s an unfamiliar name. Just a few months ago, it didn’t even exist. Now, hundreds of local residents are rallying around it. But who are they and what is their purpose?

Kallahan Beatty, the chairman of the organization, explained that Operation Blue Horizon is a movement, fueled by young people in search of an outlet for their energy and a community of like-minded individuals who are frustrated with the current state of affairs in their city, county, state, and country.

It started with four friends who decided in February to take action rather than sit back and watch as others made decisions that affected them.

“There were a lot of nights and evenings where we'd sit around and just lament the state of things,” said Beatty. “We’d talk about there needs to be change, but we didn't really know how to go about it. We know we're sick of seeing the way that things are going.”

Beatty and his friends -- Bethany Wenger, Seth Wenger, and Hannah Guillaume-Wenger – connected at a meeting of the Howard County Democratic Party. For some of them, it Was their first foray into anything political.

“We are in our late 20s, early 30s, a lot of us were not seeing any representation of our demographic,” said Bethany Wenger, who serves as Operation Blue Horizon’s Director of Communications. “We came to that first democratic party meeting, and we were definitely the youngest group in the room.”

Guillaume-Wenger, Operation Blue Horizon’s Director of Public Engagement, followed her father to the Democratic Party meeting in February, unsure of what she would find. She wanted to get involved, and she found the outlet she had been seeking.

“As I talked to them, I saw a group of people trying to change something,” said Guillaume-Wenger. “I wanted to get involved. They're on the ground doing things, and I wanted to get involved, too.”

During the meeting, the group learned of a local protest that was being thrown by another organization to protest the developments with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). They decided to attend. It didn’t go well. There were just seven people at the event. Beatty and his friends were four of them.

“It was not what you'd want out of an event that you organized,” said Beatty.

Disappointed with the experience, the group started talking about ways to do it better. Before long, the quartet agreed that it was time to organize. They discussed structure and goals. And then they reached out to Howard County Democratic Party member Tonya Stephenson.

“We're like, four young people, and we really want to get involved,” said Beatty. “What's a good way to do that? We don't really know what we're going to do exactly, but we know we want to do something. And Tonya was like, ‘Well, International Women's Day is coming up. There's a lot of people planning marches. Do you guys want to do something for that as kind of a dry run and see how it goes?’

They had nothing to lose. At that point, they didn’t even have a name. So, in just one week, they attempted to put together a pro-women’s rights march around the Howard County Courthouse. About 70 people attended.

“The event was super positive,” said Beatty. “We got to talk to a lot of people who really wanted to see the momentum continue. When we left that event, we thought we might be able to build on this.”

Inspired to move forward, the group adopted the name Operation Blue Horizon. They launched a Facebook page and a Discord server, established a headquarters, and started spreading the word. The response was immediate. By the time the group organized its next march on April 5, the movement was underway.

Despite rainy conditions and a few angry dissenters, more than 200 marchers made their way around the Howard County Courthouse, delivering their message. But who are all the people who showed up in the rain for a protest?

“The people looking for us and the people we are looking for are those same people we were, sitting on our couch, watching YouTube videos, and screaming at the TV, ‘How can this be happening?’” said Bethany. “How did we get here with nowhere to put that energy, except for in our living rooms? So, we created a space where we can come together and see the collective power that the Democratic population of Howard County is.”

Bethany said she had no idea how many people in the community shared her views because Howard County has become very conservative. She now questions that idea when she sees larger groups attending each Operation Blue Horizon gathering or event.

“There's a lot more of us than we realize,” said Bethany.

That became evident on June 14 when Operation Blue Horizon led Howard County’s No Kings Flag Day march. Millions across the nation took to the streets to protest, and hundreds joined them in Kokomo – the largest gathering this year, numbering more than 300 people. But that’s just the start.

While Operation Blue Horizon is reluctant to claim responsibility for it, Howard County Democratic Party meetings that once attracted a dozen people, now routinely pack the house with more than 50.

“People, I think, really wanted just some kind of direction,” said Beatty. “Either they didn't know where to look or the signal wasn’t getting boosted the way that it should. I think that's one of the main needs that we're fulfilling right now. We’re giving people a place to put their energy.”

Beatty explained that Operation Blue Horizon will man booths at community events, march in the Haynes-Apperson Parade with the Democratic Party, and participate in community fundraisers. Visibility is a huge part of the effort to get their message to people who might not otherwise connect the impact politics has on their personal lives.

“We're not slowing down,” Beatty said.

And they are serving the community. At their third march – The People v. Billionaires – they collected food and personal hygiene items to donate to the Center Township Trustee’s pantry and to the Kokomo Rescue Mission. They also volunteered in a community-wide clean-up on Earth Day.

“There's always something just around the corner if you missed the last event,” said Beatty.

To many, Guillaume-Wenger has become at least the voice of Operation Blue Horizon. It is she who takes the megaphone at rallies and marches, shouting out slogans and chants for the crowd to follow. But she stresses that she is just one voice, and she wants to hear more voices, meet more people, and encourage more involvement.

“I'm going door to door; I'm knocking on people's doors,” said Guillaume-Wenger. “I'm calling people. We're not these big politicians out there. We're real, actual people. You can find my information. I will give you my phone number. You can talk to any of us. We have these events. Come meet us. Come hang out. Come join something.

“There's a spot for everybody, whether it's fundraising or doing these protests with us. You can be a precinct committee person and just knock on doors in your neighborhood. If you don't want to do that, you can be a block captain for your committee person. You can make calls. You can do arts and crafts. There is a spot for every single person, even if you don't want to leave your house. We can find something for you to do. The options are limitless.”

The group is sensitive to the needs of some of those who align with Operation Blue Horizon’s ideals but are wary of public involvement. There is a place for them as well, Wenger stressed.

“We fully recognize that, for a lot of people in our community, it is not safe for them to come out,” said Wenger. “It is not safe for them to be in the streets with us. It is not safe for them to be out of their homes a lot of the time. We recognize that and want to embrace that.

“There is a spot for literally everyone in this movement, regardless of where they're at, regardless of what they are doing. There's a community of people who want to be involved with us while preserving their safety and preserving their dignity. We've got a lot of really smart people involved in this, people who can move mountains to make sure that other people are getting what they need to be able to be a part of this community. We want everyone to be involved and feel safe doing so.”

And if all else fails, Operation Blue Horizon will come to the people.

“To the people who can't find us, don't worry,” said Christian Dean Workman, the group’s Director of Community Outreach. “I'm looking for you. Every week, I allocate time to meet with local organizations and to begin developing coalitions and relationships. You might not see everyone with us right now, but give us another year of this work. A lot of people are going to know us.”

Operation Blue Horizon is online on Facebook and on its Discord server. They hold their own meetings on the fourth Thursday of every month at the Kokomo Howard County Public Library, 220 N. Union St., at 6 p.m. All are welcome to attend.