The Women’s March on Washington is a march to show solidarity with all people; including every race, religion, ability level, sexual orientation, class, etc.
The march will be taking place on January 21st, the day after the Inauguration ceremony, and will begin at 10:00 AM. Hundreds of thousands will take to the streets to show that the fight for womens' rights is far from over and the comments made by the the president-elect will not change this. Currently, there are more than 250,000 people interested on Facebook and, supposedly, over 100,000 people who will definitely be attending.
The march’s main purpose is to “stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families - recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country.”
The page further explains that the purpose is based on, “the rhetoric of the past election cycle.” They believe that the election has both offended and threatened many members of the LGBTQ community, Native Americans, African Americans, women, and countless others. The march is meant to show that the messages of the president-elect do not reflect that of the entire nation and that we must stand in unity if we have any hope for change.
The name of the event is said to have been adapted from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom of 1963. This is when he gave his famous, “I Have a Dream,” speech. This march had over 200,000 people in attendance. The Women’s March on Washington website also features the “principles of Kingian nonviolence.”
While the march is called the “Women’s March on Washington,” it is not exclusive to just women. It is meant to be for anyone who is in support of the ideals of the march itself. It is for anyone who wants to show their support for the rights of all humans and equality for all. The event is also placing a primary focus on nonviolence.
Three strong, powerful women have taken charge of the event: Carmen Perez, Linda Sarsour, and Tamika Mallory. The march is also co-chaired by famous activists: Gloria Steinem and Harry Belafonte. In addition to having well-known co-chairs, The Women’s March on Washington has also partnered with over 100 groups, including The United State of Women, the NAACP, CODEPINK, Disability Action for America, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. The leaders had not received their permit for the march as of December, so hopefully the march will continue as more than 100,000 people are expected to be in attendance. Although, even without a permit, it would be incredibly difficult to stop a movement this large.
Many feel as though marching and speaking out against injustice will not alter the outcome of the issue. However, it is more than just a march. Hundreds of thousands of people are uniting across the world. For every major issue in history, i.e. slavery, women's suffrage, civil rights, and the Dakota Access Pipeline, it has been the voices of the people that have called for change and reformation. No, maybe walking down a street doesn't seem like much, but when you have countless people in countless cities marching for the same common goal and refusing anything less, it is nearly impossible to suppress everyone's voices. There is power in numbers.
My sister, Ashley Millner, will be one of over 100,000 that will be in attendance. She has dedicated her educational career and professional life to aiding and serving those who have been oppressed; especially survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Her reason behind going to the march is "to speak out against the hateful messages of our president-elect, to dismantle systematic oppression, to advocate for those who deserve justice and whose voices have been silenced, and to combat racism, sexism, transphobia, islamophobia and xenophobia for future generations."
My sister and I come from a long line of activists. Our grandmother, Sarah Millner, walked alongside Martin Luther King, Jr, our grandfather, Kevin Hoehn, has been an activist for education reformation and voter registration, and our grandmother, Barbara Hoehn, fights against domestic violence, climate change, and countless other issues on a daily basis. Our mother, Tracy Millner, fights against rape culture, sexual assault, and domestic violence as well. Our father, Musco Millner III, has fought tirelessly in his career to bridge the gap between communities and law enforcement to show inclusion of minorities and to hire law enforcement officers who reflect the communities that they serve. For us, silence is simply not an option.
Overall, it is important to recognize, now more than ever, that the nation is divided and if we hope to regain a form of unity, we need events like these that show that love, respect, and acceptance are mandatory for all humans, no matter how different they are from ourselves. It is important that events such as this continue in the future and we, as a nation, continue to support those who do not look like, think like, or act like ourselves. It is important to recognize that in diversity, there is power.
The Women’s March on Washington website concludes it’s mission statement with a quote by Audre Lorde: “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”
