Women's March 2017

Yesterday I took part in the Women's March with people in every US state, many countries, and on every continent around the world.  Over 4.5 million people came together to stand up for equality.  The US alone is currently estimated to have had around 3.5 million attendees.  The counts are still being tallied.  The main march was in Washington DC with about 500,000 attendees.  There were over 650 sister marches, the largest being in Los Angeles with over 750,000 people.  California had more than 60 marches with well over 1 million attendees. Other cities with over 100k included: New York City, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Boston, London, Saint Paul, Portland, and Madison.

I attended the OC March in Santa Ana, CA with a group of girlfriends and children.  It was an unforgettable experience.  I loved coming together with friends that are passionate about the same principles to stand in honor of many more individuals.  The crowd of over 20,000 was revved up and fun.  There wasn't any "craze" feeling or any violence at all.  There was unity, diversity, inclusion, and above all -- sisterhood.  People smiled, cheered, and handed out refreshments and memorabilia.  One awesome woman had made a bag full of pussyhats and was offering them to those that didn't yet have one.

The people that marched were from all types of backgrounds.  This crowd was beautifully diverse in every way.  There were young girls and boys, teens, determined moms with babies in tow, dads, grandmas, and grandpas.  Some marched completely alone.  Some were in large well-organized groups.  Some were just a pair or family.  There were people from every ethnic background.  There were people with disabilities marching with us.  There were some that couldn't, so they lined up on the side with a sign on their wheel chair saying, "thanks for marching for me".  There was such a beautiful coming together of people wanting to care, love, and protect one another.

There were people there as well that were genuinely afraid of changes that may come with the new administration.  Not because they are stuck in a mindset that is attached to one particular party or way of thinking, but because they have been discriminated against and/or may lose a level of significant freedom.  These are real fears that our fellow people face daily.  We stood together to say, "that's not okay and we are here to stand up for you."

When we came home from this awesome experience, some of us faced condescending questions and remarks from people who judge the purpose and value of the march.  There were common themes, but they all stemmed from a lack of understanding.  Some of these people won't get to that understanding until they are genuinely curious, if ever.

My favorite part was coming home to my husband and mother-in-law.  Both were so deeply proud of me for attending and inspired by the overall movement.  I loved looking at all the pictures of the day, from around the world, and learning about how big this truly was.  Today, the next morning, I awoke and immediately reflected upon what an amazing experience this all was.  I want to capture the moment ... and in doing so ... comes a hunger for more. :)

To all those that stood up, came together, and were there in spirit - Thank You.  More to Come! :) <3

Resources:

• Official March Page: https://www.womensmarch.com/ 
• Women's March Sister Marches: https://www.womensmarch.com/sisters
• Official March Guiding Vision & Definition of Principles: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/584086c7be6594762f5ec56e/t/587e8432b3db2b97b38a7a8f/1484686387172/WMW+Guiding+Vision+%26+Definition+of+Principles.pdf 
• Count of Attendees document by Professor Jeremy Pressman: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xa0iLqYKz8x9Yc_rfhtmSOJQ2EGgeUVjvV4A8LsIaxY/htmlview?sle=true#gid=0
• US Uncut Count of Attendees: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/170xxy-6PnwF-BwQJsTgF1vxlEaWIhT7vNlqxjkNni7E/edit?ts=588404ed#gid=0 
• 9 Biggest Marches in US History http://www.businessinsider.com/largest-marches-us-history-2017-1/#protests-against-the-iraq-war-in-americas-largest-cities-february-15-16-2003-8 

Excerpt from Guiding Vision and Definition of Principles document:
OVERVIEW & PURPOSE The Women's March on Washington is a women-led movement bringing together people of all genders, ages, races, cultures, political affiliations and backgrounds in our nation’s capital on January 21, 2017, to affirm our shared humanity and pronounce our bold message of resistance and self-determination.

Recognizing that women have intersecting identities and are therefore impacted by a multitude of social justice and human rights issues, we have outlined a representative vision for a government that is based on the principles of liberty and justice for all. As Dr. King said, “We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.”