One reporter shares her experience of the Women’s March
Marchers gather together to make a statement of unity and equality.
Thousands of posters. Chants and roars of equality. A sea of empowered people.
We were equal and a part of the world. It was as if supporting the same thing made our outer appearances melt away. We all saw each other as humans, and with the absence of barriers and differences, we could unite to fight for equality for all.
I attended the 2018 Women’s March in San Jose this Saturday. Marching with my family and SCHS’s own Girls Empowerment Project allowed me to feel enlightened and inspired as well as empowered.
About 10,000 attended the 2018 Women’s March in San Jose, according to a Mercury News article. This annual international march is a movement to unify people who support human rights for every person.
Last year, the march took place one day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. San Jose’s 2017 march had over 250,000 attendees. Saturday’s march marked the date of Trump’s one-year anniversary of being in office.
Many activist groups used this march as a platform for their voices. As we walked through the streets of downtown San Jose, our voices were heard and we garnered media recognition.
Marchers held many creative and funny signs, and most were related to women or feminism, and many posters featured over-stylized versions of President Trump. In fact, three people had constructed a large puppet of the President and were walking him down the march.
Additionally, many little girls and boys had signs similar to “Girl Power.” In fact, one young man had a rainbow colored sign that said “Fight Like a Girl.” Seeing him chanting and holding this sign was a sight I never thought I would see. Many boys struggle with being able to feel feminine, and seeing a boy agree with the idea of “fighting like a girl” made me understand how far we’ve come.
Another girl had a sign that said “Future President.” I walked with her for the majority of the march. She was a sweetheart and a powerful little girl. Talking to her and other people at the march helped me see that we really are getting somewhere. Positively influencing the younger generation is one of the most important ways to move forward.
As empowering as it was, I couldn’t help but think, “This looks like a picture out of a history book.” The huge group of people, the signs, the passionate and persistent chanting. I became aware of the fact that we had work to do.
We have come a long ways in achieving equality for everyone, but there is still more we can do. We cannot relive this unfairness from the past any longer. We must be persistent with our actions and make our voices heard. We cannot stop until everyone on this earth is equal.
Saturday’s march made me realize that our freedom and our world is worth fighting for. We can overcome any obstacle if we stick together as one people.
Our cry will ring throughout history.
