The Who, What, When and Where About the March
If you’ve hiding under a rock and haven’t heard, Donald Trump is being sworn into office this Friday, Jan. 20. And you may know that some (or more so, a lot) of women are unhappy about it. So they decided to organize a Women’s March on Washington. Here’s what you need to know.
The Women’s March on Washington started with a Facebook post by Teresa Shook, a retired attorney and grandmother living in Hawaii, who asked a few of her friends to join her in a demonstration in D.C.
She wrote, “What if women marched around Inauguration Day en masse?” Now, more than 200,000 people have planned to attend.
Who: Women (and men) of all ages, races, genders
What: A demonstration march for women’s rights
When: January 21, the day after the Inauguration / 10 AM—1:30 PM rally, then march until 5 p.m. EST
Where: D.C. The march will start at the intersection of Independence Ave. and Third St. S.W., near the U.S. Capitol. The march will go down Constitution Avenue and end up at The Elipse, right across from the White House.
How: You can book a flight, bus or walk down the street if you’re close. Don’t drive, it will be a mess.
If you can’t make it, you can donate here or buy a t-shirt from organizers.
Register to attend here (Not required, but it helps organizers get a head count)
The demonstration (not protest, as organizers are quick to point out) was organized to challenge Trump’s administration.
Their message is: “We are watching you, President-(Elect) Trump, United States House of Representatives, and Senate. We are an organized group that intends to hold the U.S. government accountable for your leadership and decisions that will impact all Americans. We hope that women and men will join together to rally in Washington, D.C.”
The demonstration will be the biggest organized event surrounding Trump since he was elected, and could possibly be the biggest movement gathered during a presidential Inauguration.
Co-Chairs include Dolores Huerta (labor leader and activist) Gloria Steinem and Harry Belafonte.
The list of sponsors is impressive, from Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, the national Resources Defense Council, Naral, MoveOn, Emily’s List, and more.
Good stuff to bring
- Water bottle
- Snacks
- Rain poncho
- ID
- Some cash
- Extra socks in case yours gets wet
- A cool sign
- Any medications you need
- Bandaids
- Yours and friends contact info on an index card
Security
When it comes to safety concerns, the organizers say that they have a “team of experienced and professional national organizers working to ensure that every safety protocol is followed.” More security details will be released the day before the demonstration.
- Planned Parenthood, who will be attending, is helping with staffing, planning efforts and safety.
- Stay with a buddy
- Don’t engage in hostilities
- Make a plan to meet up if you get separated
Can’t get to DC?
There are over 600 sister marches all over the country, with 1,364,000 people participating.
“We’re doing it his very first day in office because we are making a statement,” one organizer, Breanne Butler, said in an interview days after the election. “We are here and we are watching.
And, like, ‘Welcome to the White House.’”
To learn more or to get involved, visit https://www.womensmarch.com/
