Women's March on Washington Shows Solidarity with 600 'Sister Marches'

Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 5 MIN.

The inauguration of President Donald J. Trump happens today, but across the country and around the globe, the largest groundswell of opposition ever seen is coming together on Saturday, January 21, for the Women's March on Washington. And while 200,000 people are expected to protest in the nation's capital, a million more are set to hit their local streets to say 'no' to the country's least popular incoming modern president in our nation's history.

Essence reports that in feminist leader Gloria Steinem and Harry Belafonte will serve as honorary co-chairs of the D.C. March, with celebrity attendees there including Uzo Aduba, Danai Gurira, Margo Jefferson, Danielle Brooks and Angelique Kidjo.

The event, which is focused on taking a "stand on social justice and human rights issues ranging from race, ethnicity, gender, religion, immigration and healthcare," emerged from a grassroots effort, however, it is now supported by organizations like The Arab American Association of New York, The National Action Network, The Gathering for Justice and Planned Parenthood.

Marchers will gather at the Boston Common "Carty Parade Ground" at the corner of Beacon and Charles Street's "to march in solidarity with communities most affected by the hate, intolerance and acts of violence being perpetrated throughout the nation -- among many are communities of women, immigrants, people of color and people who identify as LGBTQIA."

In New York City, they'll meet by the United Nations at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in a march so large that organizers are asking participants to step off with staggered start times, to avoid a bottleneck.

The Windy City will kick things off with a pre-March rally at 10 a.m. Chicago's Grant Park, mobilizing "as women and supporters of women to protect our rights and civil liberties."

Miami marchers will gather from 1-5 p.m. at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater to "send a bold message to our new administration on their first day in office, and to the world that women's rights are human rights."

Los Angeles will gather at Pershing Square at 5th Street and West Hill Street, "in the spirit of democracy and honoring the champions of human rights, dignity, and justice who have come before us, join[ing] in diversity to show our presence in numbers too great to ignore."

The City by the Bay will gather at the San Francisco Civic Center from 3-5 p.m, after which they'll step off on a candlelight march down Market Street to Justin Herman Plaza. in community to find healing and strength through tolerance, civility, and compassion. They "welcome all people to join us as we unite locally and nationally."

In Portland, Oregon, marchers will gather at noon at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park to stand against the "rhetoric of the past election cycle [which] has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us -- immigrants of all statuses, Muslims and those of diverse religious faiths, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, survivors of sexual assault."

Seattle marchers will meet at 10 a.m. at Judkins Park at 2150 S. Norman Street, and welcome all "women, femme, trans, gender non-conforming, and feminist people (including men and boys)" to march.

Dallas welcomes all to join their peaceful protest at 10 a.m. at Dallas City Hall.

And in Philadelphia, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be flooded with patriots from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., saying, "we will not rest until women have parity and equity at all levels of leadership in society. We work peacefully while recognizing there is no true peace without justice and equity for all."


by Winnie McCroy , EDGE Editor

Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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