Saturday, January 21, 2017.
A day that will resonate forever in the hearts of men and women across the globe.
It was the date of the largest inaugural protest in history; it was the day that millions of human beings from across the world came together in a stand of solidarity; it was the moment that brought all civil rights movements together to march in the most inclusive peaceful protest that the world has ever seen; it was a day that changed my life.
I am lucky enough to live in a country where I have the right and the privilege to protest peacefully for what I believe in. Because of this privilege I have not only the honor to, but also an obligation to use my voice to invoke change that will afford others the same safety and freedom I possess.
That being said, we also have to acknowledge the injustice that is going on in our own backyard.
Survivors of sexual assault are interrogated and their attackers are coddled; our brothers and sisters in Standing Rock have to fight to keep their sacred land unscathed by the entitled and money hungry 1%; Flint, Michigan is STILL without clean drinking water for the masses; people of color live in fear of their fellow citizens and of the government that was supposed to protect them; the LGBTQ+ community has only just legally been acknowledged, and now that legislation lives threatened by those who refuse to accept change. The list goes on and on...
Many ask what it was exactly we were marching for on Saturday. THIS is what we were marching for. The Women's March in Washington DC was meant to empower women- specifically because believe it or not, women in America are in fact oppressed. Yet, it was also meant to empower all who experience oppression or wish to see it eradicated.
We marched for our mothers and grandmothers who fought for our rights long before we were born.
We marched for our daughters and granddaughters that will come after us in hopes that they will not have to bare witness to such blatant disregard of human life.
We marched for the women in countries where they are considered property to their male counterparts and who's lives are threatened every day.
We marched for the mothers who have lost their children to acts of police brutality.
We marched because love is love is love.
We marched because black lives matter.
We marched because water is life.
We marched because a woman's place is in the resistance.
We marched because we will choose love over hate every time.
We marched for those who are not feminists, and for those who oppose us because one day, they will come for you as well. You will need us. And you will see that we have always been there.
We marched for those who can't.
We marched for our rights so that we can protect those who are not afforded the same.
Saturday, January 21, 2017, gave me hope. It made me understand that one human being does not hold any more power than the power we bestow unto them. On Friday a man talked about giving the power back to the people. Well sir, I believe we just took it.
Thank you to those who marched. Thank you to those who supported us in any way they could. Thank you to the celebrities who are using their national platforms to discuss what truly matters. Thank you to those who oppose us. Your harsh words, your judgmental stares, your constant need to patrol bodies that don't belong to you, your need to impose your religious beliefs on people who never asked for your opinion, you my friends are our biggest inspiration.
I dream of a day where I won't have to think about fighting for anyone's rights because we will all finally be free of oppression. We may not be there yet, but we will be there soon. Until then, I will march. I will continue to stand up for what I believe is right. I will continue to use the voice I was given and scream at the top of my lungs whenever I see injustice. I will continue to show tolerance and empathy towards those who violently oppose us. I will continue to love.
