Thousands take to streets of SLO for fourth annual Women’s March
Mitchell Park was filled by thousands of people on Saturday morning in support of women, racial and religious minorities, immigrants and the LGBTQIA+ community for the fourth annual Women’s March.
Streets were closed along the route, with law enforcement and emergency personnel patrolling the areas around the march.
The rally emphasized the importance of running for office, voting, showing and speaking up, as well as leading. The inaugural Women’s March took place in January 2017, just after President Donald Trump was elected.
This year, the march took place ahead of a divisive election and as the public becomes more concerned about climate change.
Many participants carried signs in reference to the #MeToo movement, climate change, Planned Parenthood, President Trump and immigration, among others.
The theme of the march was “The Time is Now,” focusing on neither the past or the future, but the present.
“When we focus only on the past or the future, we lose sight of the present,” organizer Terry Parry said to the crowd. “The present is what we can change, moment to moment. And that is where we will see progress.”
Wendy Lucas, a member of the yak tityu tityu yak tiłhini Northern Chumash Tribe of San Luis Obispo County and Region opened the rally with a prayer in English and her tribe’s indigenous language.
Kendra Williams, a marriage and family therapist, and lecturer for the Department of Psychology and Child Development spoke about the injustices she and other survivors of sexual assault and harassment face.
During her speech, Williams described her own experience as a member of Cal Poly’s faculty when a tenured professor took a video up her skirt in a mail room while her back was turned. The professor ultimately lost his job after 14 months of paid leave, Williams said.
“I was not, and I am not, OK with the standard in which my assault was handled. In 2020, I will be using my voice and position to bring attention and change to to the systematic injustices to sexual violence and harassment,” Williams said.
Williams was followed by Cuesta College student Carmen Bouquin, who discussed climate change and how it will impact the Central Coast.
The diverse crowd contained people from all walks of life, from children to seniors.
“I’m here because social activism is extremely important,” Jacqueline Hewitt, a third year environmental science major, said. “As a citizen of the United States you have to share your beliefs and you have to fight for what’s right.
“That’s one of the amazing things about democracy, you get to express yourself which is one of the most important things. It’s important to fight for people who don’t have as many opportunities as luckily we do, getting a college education.”
This story was originally published January 18, 2020 at 1:07 PM.