Crowds reach 200,000 at second annual Women’s March on New York
See this story at TimesLedger.com.
By Naeisha Rose
TimesLedger Newspapers
Over 200,000 women, men, children and dogs marched, sang, chanted and drummed their way from West 72nd Street and Central Park West to Times Square Saturday for the second annual Women’s March on New York City, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Representing Queens at the event was the Center for the Women of New York, an organization based in Kew Gardens that fights for women’s rights.
“As a feminist my main issue is reproductive rights,” said CWNY co-founder Ann Jawin, a Douglaston native. “To me this is the foundation of women’s freedom and liberation.”
Jawin said if you want to know what everyone is fighting for, “just look at the signs.”
Some signs were straight to the point.
“Love, compassion, tolerance — not hate — make America great,” read Elizabeth Wheel’s sign in red, white and blue.
As she held up the American flag her daughter Sara held up her own cardboard cutout sign.
“Hate has no home here,” read Sara’s sign.
Other signs asked for the impeachment of President Donald Trump, requested the removal of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and pleaded for the president not to start a nuclear war with North Korea.
Some of the other signs by marchers were creative.
Many protesters who want Trump out of office used emblems of the resistance from the Star Wars films and quoted the most recent film in the franchise, “we are the spark that will light the fire.”
Another sign had the Statue of Liberty consoling a Muslim woman with a hijab.
Some members of LGBT groups went to the Women’s March wearing rainbow colored Pride Flag as capes.
Former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito was among the crowd of thousands at the march.
“This is an opportunity to say that women’s voices will not be silenced,” Mark-Viverito said. “We are strong, we are an important fabric of this country and we need to be respected and reclaim the space in terms of the conversation and the dialogue.”
She hopes with the 2018 elections around the corner this will present an opportunity for more women in politics to fight for issues concerning women.
“We want more women to run for office… because we are seriously underrepresented in all levels of government. There are only 11 women in the New York City Council out of 51,” Mark-Viverito said. “Women need to serve on all levels in government and this is the moment to do that.”
Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.
Source: Times Ledger
0 Comments