sonder (n.): the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own — The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

This past weekend, Washington D.C. was taken over by 600,000+ people who's sole purpose was to attend the 44th annual March for Life. We have always had a clear goal in mind: to overturn Roe V. Wade and give dignity to all human life. But for the first time in 8 years, our government was supporting our mission.

I attended the march with an on-campus, pro-life organization, Bama Students For Life (BSFL) and before attending the rally on Friday morning, we stopped by a meet-up with Life Matters Journal (LMJ), which is a non-profit human rights organization dedicated to bringing an end to human violence through education and discourse. Our president of BSFL is the Layout Editor of LMJ and we got to meet a number of people who work for the journal, including Aimee Murphy who is one of the founders of LMJ.

After we left the meet up the March for Life rally began at the National Mall where all the marchers came to hear from a number of speakers. The speakers included Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Ravens player Benjamin Watson, former Planned Parenthood worker Abby Johnson, Karyme Lozano, Eric Metaxas and Bishop Vincent Matthews Jr. who each spoke on a number of different subjects regarding life, but the "main event" at the rally was hearing Vice President Mike Pence speak. "Life is winning" he was quoted saying. And I have to agree. Following the rally, all 600,000+ of us took to the streets to march from the National Mall to the steps of the Supreme Court. Many marchers wore tee shirts or hats or carried signs that had a variety of different sayings or quotes on them.

One of my favorite things about the march was that there were people from all walks of life represented there. Being pro-life has a stigma associated with it and is known to be dominated by white, male, Christian republicans. However, the march saw black, white, male, female, atheist, Catholic, gay, straight, conservative, liberal and everything in between.

Following the march, there was a Students for Life of America conference that took place all day on Saturday. Many marchers chose to attend this conference on Saturday to meet more pro-lifers and learn more about the movement and how they can be effective, many also elected to attend mass together at the Basilica on Saturday evening.

This was my first experience at the March for Life and my heart is so full knowing that we live in a country and I am a part of a generation that is fighting to end violence against humans. If you've never attended the March for Life you are missing out on a culture of acceptance, forgiveness and love that everyone should have the chance to experience. Roe v Wade is #NotOurPrecedent and we will continue to March for Life until the march becomes the March of Life.