Images and Ponderings from The Women's March

I can't believe it's been over 3 weeks since I went to the Women's March on Washington. That was absolutely the most politically galvanizing event of my life. I have never been in the midst of such an enormous group of like-minded and shared-purpose people before, and it was absolutely incredible and inpiring. We saw women, men, and children of every color, trans folks, straight folks, gay folks, women in hijabs, people with every liberal political slogan known on their shirts, and many, many pussyhats (including ours).

Our view from near the corner 7th and Independence Ave. in Washington DC

Like many liberal people, I was saddened and horrified by the election last November. I never thought that Hillary Clinton was the best choice for President (I still don't), but it was so hard to believe that people actually believed that our newly elected official was in any way qualified for the job. I thought he was even more unelectable than she was. What I didn't bank on was how many people just didn't vote at all. And what I really didn't bank on was how many people were willing to overlook the plethora of very public and objectively horrifying things that Trump said and did during his candidacy--he was excused for making fun of a reporter with a disability, for his insults levied at John McCain for his POW status, for mistreating and maligning the Khan family, who lost their son in service of our country, for his disgusting commentary on and treatment of women, for the lies he told at every turn, for his refusal to release his tax returns, for his refusal to divest himself from his businesses with all the accompanying conflicts of interest, for his suspected ties to the Russian government. The list goes on and on, when any one thing would have disqualified most other candidates. People were so fed up with the system and with all the controversy, both real and imagined, that they either shut down and declined to participate, or they voted against their own self-interest in in order to obtain change at any cost. Oh, how I wish Bernie Sanders had won the Democratic primary! But I digress..

In the months following the election, I was sad, disappointed, and filled with impotent fury. I kept praying for some kind of miracle that would keep this horrible creature from becoming our president. Maybe the Russia ties would be investigated (still waiting), maybe the electoral college would do its job and keep a wholly unqualified person out of the President's office (they didn't, but man, I would have been happier with just about anyone else!), maybe there really was voter fraud somewhere and the counts were wrong (they weren't). But alas, nothing saved us, and here we are.

When the Women's March was announced, I decided I was going, one way or another. I worked it out to go to the flagship march in DC itself. I talked my friend into taking the train with me to DC, staying with another friend there, and doing it right. (And let me say a word about these two women I went with. Both are in government jobs, so I am not naming them here, but they are both amazing. One is a scientist at the EPA, and the other works in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the White House. They both do amazing work to advance science, and especially science for women, in the US, to protect our planet, and to educate people. They are two of my dearest friends, and I can't even express what an honor it was to attend this event with them. We'll be back, too--the March for Science is coming!) The march was everything I thought it would be and more. I was amazed at the sheer numbers of people who showed up, across the country and across the world, and the huge number of different concerns and interests that were represented by the people attending. I cried many times throughout the day. I made new friends and talked to a wide range of diverse people. I was arrested by the images I brought with me from the whole day--the feeling of being wrapped in solidarity, and the overwhelming love of this country that allows us the freedom to express concern, dissent, and rage in a public and peaceful manner without fear. This is truly what democracy looks like.

I took hundreds of pictures of the signs people were carrying, and I wanted to share a few of my favorites. It was so hard to narrow it down--there were so many great ones expressing so many perspectives!

 

One of the most powerful things we saw was a huge constitutional banner that was being carried through the march, with people signing it as it moved. It was maybe 150 feet long and at least 12-14 feet wide. The entire preamble to The Constitution was painted on it, and it was absolutely covered in signatures. It was being passed from person to person, each of them signing it, as it moved through the march and down Constitution Avenue with the rest of us. It was very moving to see so many people honoring the words it bore and what it represented for our country.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, 
establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common 
defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to 
ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for 
the United States of America."

And last, but not at all least, I am hanging onto these images that were designed by  for The Amplifier Foundation's public call for art to support The Women's March. There were many great pieces of art that came from that call, but the ones most impactful to me were these three from Shepard Fairey. We saw these everywhere!

I love the diversity he represents while still making it very clear that these are American women, and that their rights are the rights for all of us. He's blown me away before--I am sure you will recall the Obama Hope poster he produced for the 2008 election, but just in case you didn't, here it is:

This man has my number, as far as a political artist goes. He's a person I'd like to go to dinner or grab a drink with just so i could talk to him for a while.

It's an understatement to say that I walked away from the march feeling fired up and ready to go. It's an understatement to say that it made me feel like I was part of something much larger than myself. It's an understatement to say that I feel like raising a dissenting voice is more important right now in this country than it has been in decades. I am working on it. I am learning to be an activist. The march was just the beginning for me.