I have been trying to write this post in my head for over a week now, and I don't know that I will ever be satisfied with how it is written. I can guarantee it will be re-read constantly until I finally get sick of reading the same words 1,230,810,470,123 times in a row and hit "Publish". Yep.
So, I decided to just put
I mean, my daughter will read this one day but no pressure, right?
Here goes...
I am a strong, intelligent woman. I try to embody positivity, because...that's who I am. That's how I was raised. I like to listen and give the benefit of the doubt. I like to make people smile. I like to befriend the lonely and help those in need. I was raised by a strong woman who was raised by a strong woman. I was raised to be fair, to care for others, and to treat everyone with respect. People often refer to me as "so nice" or accuse me of being "too nice". Yes, I might be kind, but I am no pushover. And I educate myself. If it seems like only the angriest voices are heard, that's only because they are amplified. Sensationalism and propaganda will always be more "exciting" than facts. So please, don't ever assume someone's kindness and/or positivity indicates that they are ignorant to what is happening in the world. When enough of the "quiet" or "kind" or "nice" people get together, big things happen.
(Slightly off topic, stepping off soapbox...)
So, in the spirit of kindness and doing what is right, but also in the name of knowledge and the empowerment that comes with being a strong human being born from a strong woman: I (and my feminist/equality-loving Husband) joined 2.9 million PEOPLE, not just women, who marched on January 21, 2017. We marched in DC, New York, Los Angeles, Denver...but also in every state of our Union. In Idaho, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Ohio. There were 673 marches taking place WORLDWIDE, on all 7 continents. It was a "Women's March", but the message was clearly being sent by all genders, religions, colors, and every spectrum of sexual orientation. ALL of this was in protest of the new president and his divisive words and reprehensible views on equality, diversity, and science/climate change. It was the largest and most wide-spread organized march in history.
Our local march organizer estimated 1,000-2,000 people would be attending, but we ended up being 12,000-14,000 strong. The police had to shut down the streets. Cars honked, drivers high-fived and thumbs-up'ed in solidarity. We marched with love and unity in our hearts, and messages of unity and equality on our lips. We were standing up for the rights of all, even if they didn't agree with what we were doing.
Our original intention was to bring OG with us, not only for her to experience community action and to (hopefully) tell her that she was a part of a movement that made a positive difference in the world, but also because we are a family unit. We will always be stronger together. However, we decided at the last minute leave OG with Dedi since the attendance estimates continued rising - we didn't want to chance her getting lost in the crowd. She loves to run and play, but still can't tell you her full name or where she lives. So, we decided to err on the side of parental responsibility and that junk. ;)
Still, she wore an outfit made for marching!
-"Friend" (in multiple languages) shirt
-Heart pants
-Marchin' boots!
Here are The Hubs and I, sending OG our love from the rally:
And other than the 12k-14k people in the crowd, we also met up with some of our amazing friends at the rally:
Here are a few more images from that day:
Then, we began to march.
One of the big #hashtags of the day was #WhyIMarch and #ThisIsWhyIMarch. People spoke out about why they decided to march, so I took it upon myself to ask several marchers why they came out. These were some of their answers:
"I am here for love. I love everybody, there's nothing they can do about that. But if you're wrong, I'm going to tell you so - Trump, I'm going to let you know. Love, sister!"
"I am here to support women's rights, climate change, and Black Lives Matter. And to spread LOVE."
"I'm here for all my ladies. I'm here for my family, and I'm here for our future."
"Why am I here today? Because I want my nieces and cousins to have equality. I want every woman to have equality - AND men!"
"I'm here for my mom and my aunty."
"I'm here to support everybody. I get a lot of rights myself, and I'm here to stand up for the people who don't."
"I'm married - I'm here for my wife. Power to women!"
I also asked my usually-not-politically-active Husband why he marched/his thoughts on the march, and he had this to say:
"I am glad to have taken a part in a peaceful rally for an issue that should not be one anymore. Men and women are created equally and that is how it should be. I'm always for the immigrants, especially being a child to 2 great ones, but also for healthcare because I worry about my moms future healthcare options. I don't think it's fair to deny insurance to anyone who gets diagnosed with any disease that they have no control over."
As for my reasons, this is what I wrote about #WhyIMarch:
For those who want to attend and cannot, I am going to be FB Live-ing the peaceful Sister March today.
I am marching for my family, friends, strangers, and people who need my legs and my voice, to be the checks and balances, ensuring equal rights for ALL Americans, affordable healthcare for all no matter their medical situation or financial status, allowing women to have control over their own bodies and decisions, and to ensure freedom of speech and assembly continue to be a cornerstone of American Freedom.
If you don't agree with me politically, that's ok. I am still marching for you and your family, your rights, and your right to have opinions. I march for unity, not division. I march for love, respect, empathy and understanding. I march for my daughter. xoxox
For anyone marching here and around the world today, be safe and know we are with you.
Peace, love and Power to the People of this great Nation.
xoxoxox
