Yesterday morning I jumped on the T bound for downtown Boston having no idea that I was headed for one of the most formative and potent experiences I've had in my entire life.

Having decided long beforehand to participate in the Boston Women's March, my good friend and I arrived at the Park Street stop after a Red Line journey made quick by the exhilarated atmosphere in the train. Allowing the charged crowd to sweep us onto the platform and up the stairs, we found ourselves standing in the bright sun, staring in awe at a swarm of people that was incomprehensibly immense. Have you ever tried to imagine what hundreds of thousands of people look like gathered in one place? It looks something like this:

There were heads as far as I could see, from normal-sized ones around me to those that appeared to be tiny pinpricks all the way across the Common. My friend and I looked at each other and, armed only with my Moleskin and her Nikon, we made the plunge into the mosh-pit-esque crowd.

As we politely shoved our way through the throng, we enthusiastically pointed out humorous signs to one another. Here are a few of my favorites:

And this very special piece of interactive art:

(Artist: Blaine Bacchicchi)

Although we weren't lucky enough to hear anything but fragments of the event's featured speakers, including Mayor Marty Walsh and Senator Elizabeth Warren, the happy electricity flowing throughout the masses was infectious and I was soon smiling like an idiot at everyone I passed. This is when I realized how powerful and important the march really was and how lucky I was to be a part of it. No matter your political views or whether or not you approved of the march, you can admit that that many people banding together to make their voices heard, not just in Boston but in cities across the world, is a pretty special thing, something that we are lucky to have the right to do.

One of the first thing I noticed about the diverse crowd around me was how many children, boys and girls alike, were in attendance. Many of these kids were brought by their parents not just to observe the day's events, but to participate in the march as well. Here are some examples of the pint-sized protestors making their dents in the patriarchy:

Just check out this badass mother-daughter team:

Even local churches got in on the action, with the King's Chapel on Beacon Street temporarily substituting their name for a much more progressive option:

and the historic Old South Church on Boylston ringing it's bells for all to hear while march supporters (including the little girl in a pink teeshirt shown above) packed its front steps and sang hymns at the top of their lungs.

Now, I understand how controversial this march, as well as the hundreds of others occurring simultaneously in different cities across the world, was and remains to be. Many people view these peaceful gatherings as disruptions designed to pointlessly protest our new president. What these people fail to understand is that, while I cede that many people did use these events as outlets for the expression of hatred towards Trump, the true goal of these marches was to create unity and solidarity, two things our society is lacking at the moment. I marched not just for my rights as a woman, but for the rights of all people in this country no matter their gender, race, or sexual orientation. Parents marched for their children, teachers for their students, and some marched simply to let others know that they are not alone, that at least one person in the world cares and is listening.

Of course this begs the question: if all this isn't really about trump why now, the day after he was inaugurated? My answer is simple. Donald Trump is our president whether we like it or not, which means we must support him and hope that he does right by our country and by us. I personally wish him the best. However, the rhetoric used throughout the election by both Trump and his supporters as well as the views that they expressed regarding many social issues were and are alarming to many Americans. This is simply our way of reminding the rest of the country that we are here, we are united, and we are not to be ignored.

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "The world will either move forward toward unity and widely shared prosperity, or it will move apart." I believe that this quote applies not only to today's world as a whole, but to our country specifically. I, along with many of the participants I spoke with, marched not for political purposes or out of anger and resent, but for equality, acceptance, respect, and love for all. I marched for a better future not just for me, but for the children who marched along side me. So, if you are one of the many who simply couldn't- or wouldn't -understand what this march was about, I hope this clears it up for you. It was and is about something much bigger than me and you and politics and presidencies; it's about effecting positive change, defending what our country stands for, and creating a better world, even if it is just one step at a time.