ALTON - A local woman is calling attention to Alton through a one-woman protest outside of City Hall.
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Dorothy Moss began her daily protests outside of City Hall on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. She took a break on Wednesday but was back at it on Thursday, Jan. 15, with neon green signs and a message for the mayor and anyone who might want to join her.
“I love Alton, and I know Alton can do better,” Moss said. “I’ve got to at least try. I don’t know if it’s going to work, but Rosa [Parks] was one person when she sat down. So I’m sitting.”
Moss is specifically asking for improved streets, a youth center, more jobs, and better housing for the community.
She shared that she is focusing her protest on Mayor David Goins, who she believes could “fix” Alton’s problems or at least “pave the way” for the changes she wants to see. She added that she voted for Goins.
“I want him to build the youth center. He needs to bring some corporate living jobs here. We need some homes on the vacant lots. He needs to fix these streets for sure,” Moss said. “He’s the one who runs the city. He’s the one who appointed all these people who ain’t doing their jobs. So that’s who I’ve got a problem with…He’s the only one who can make the decision, so he needs to fix it.”
Moss said that Goins has agreed to meet with her on Friday, Jan. 16. Goins provided the following comment about Moss’s protest on Thursday, Jan. 15.
“We live in a country where people have the right to free speech and to express their thoughts and their opinions,” he said. “I respect what Dorothy is doing, and I support that right for any citizen.”
Moss left Alton to join the military and returned 17 years later to raise her kids in the city. She acknowledged that she could move away, but her children are still in the area and she wants to see a better future for the next generation.
She added that she does not want to protest outside of City Hall, but “this is the only thing that has worked.” She encourages other people to join her City Hall protests, and she urges the community to vote.
“Something has to give,” she added. “We need change in Alton, and we need to hold our people accountable. Another thing is that no matter what I do, it still takes more than just me. So get out and vote.”
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