Leading up to the March
After the election, (if you’re tired of hearing about it, too bad) I felt a greater sense to solidify my being; a calling to stand for myself and those around me.
Enter the Women’s March; a platform to do just that. I wasn’t sure just how impactful this march would be, but I knew I needed to be there. After floating the idea by my husband, he urged me to go, no matter what. I then talked to my boss (a woman) who was ecstatic about my decision to do so. Ultimately my decision to march came down to me knowing I needed to tell my future children why I was there, and not why I wasn’t.
Fast forward to Jan 20, and I’m en route to Washington D.C. Traveling solo has its pro’s and con’s, but traveling solo to the Women’s March on Washington, was the most electrifying thing Ive done yet. From the moment I got to LAX, to my layover in Orlando, I felt this warmth of women (and men) who inherently all wanted the same for America. Before boarding my flight, a group of women called for all march attendees, to take a photo. At that moment, nearly everyone in the gate rose to gather around a line of cameras. It was wild to see the collaboration of folks making sure everyone was in the photo. Seeing this made my heart swell with confirmation in my choice to be there.
After landing in D.C. I checked my Twitter, and to my surprise, that very picture was featured in a Twitter Moment! I was overwhelmed with joy and a sense of purpose. My stay for the trip were taken care of by my childhood friend and her fiancé, who let me crash in there home just outside of D.C. After an evening of catching up, I prepped for what would prove to be a life changing day for me.
It felt like an unusually long night, but once morning came I headed out for the Capitol. I had no idea what to expect. With the rally starting at 10am, I felt 8 was a good time to arrive, which served me well. After getting settled I thought it would be good to walk around to see the sights, and maybe make a friend or two. This turned out to be a bad idea that led to me standing in mud for roughly 5 hours (but thats another story).
How was the March, you ask?
The march didn’t begin until around 2pm. The morning prior was filled with a long list of speakers and performers, ranging from America Ferrera to Angela Davis. Throughout an overwhelming sense of inclusion, empathy, and love filled the air. I truly felt loved my every single person there. Every cause you could possibly think of was not only represented but, given the platform to garner support for their movement. The greatest moment for me was hearing over a million people, in our nations capitol, chant #blacklivesmatter This was followed by seeing the Mother’s of the Movement yell the names of their slain children while the crowed chanted “Say their name”. I was overcome with emotion and hope.
After the speakers, we flooded the streets of Washington soaked with a purpose to march for every group of people that needed marching for, for every cause, for every reason.
What do I have to say to critics of marchers?
I’ve seen a lot of non-marchers, cite blogs filled with reasons why we did’t have the merit to. While many wrote those articles may have come from a place of privilege, not all women (or people for that matter) do. For this reason we need to march until everyone can come from that same place.
We need to march until we can’t think of reasons to march for.
To say that someone shouldn’t march for equal rights for women and others because these issues don’t effect you personally, is like saying black people shouldn’t march for their lives since others aren’t loosing theirs in the same manner. It just isn’t fair, nor is it conducive to healing. Everyone has their right to free speech, but it should come from a place of empathy and selflessness.
What now?
Since the march, I have been energized with even more passion to continue on my journey for equality for EVERYONE. To keep the momentum going, my husband and I have joined the LA County Young Democrats. While this isn’t the biggest way to make sure your voice is heard, it does provide you with an opportunity to have a hand in who represents you on all levels of government. I will also continue investing in my community and the greater good through volunteering and charity.
To wrap up, I am so blessed to have been a part of such a momentous and pivotal time in our nations history. I want to leave you with a quote (Tweet) of the fearless Kamala Harris.
If you’ve ever wondered what you would have done during the Civil Rights Movement, this is your opportunity to find out.
#goodtrouble— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 4, 2017