Last January was a challenging time for the DC progressive community to say the least. Many of my own friends fled to warmer places for inauguration weekend, profiting off their bedrooms for Airbnb and eager to escape the shocking election we just faced.
Yet, at the same time, people from across the country flooded the streets of our nation’s capital. Some had already booked their airline tickets, assuming they’d be attending the inauguration of the first female president. Others piled on busses up and down the east coast.
The day after the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States, we made history. Yes, women. And men. You and me. Donning pink hats and clever posters, backpacks and snacks, millions of people took to the streets to stand up for equity, inclusion, justice and democracy. There were people who had been showing up for protests for decades, seasoned from the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. There were young families teaching even the youngest among us the power of civic discourse. And there was everyone in between – millions of people who were marching for the very first time. The power of that moment moves me even now, one year later. Women crammed in the wide streets for hours, listening to speeches, chanting. The Women’s March made its mark as the largest protest in U.S. history that day.
Our Sierra Club chapters marched along women’s group in over 30 states that day, and have since opened their doors to thousands of new members – people motivated to make change and defend clean air, clean water and our public lands. Some of my biggest mentors were leaders of their small corner of the civil rights era. And they were simply showing up to what was asked of them.
I was always worried that when the time came to take the torch and fight with my generation, would I show up? Would I say yes when asked? Would I know the moment was upon us, and make human rights my priority? Fortunately, I am inspired not just by the older generation, but by my peers too. Friends from high school who are sharing resources on Facebook. The leader of my hometown Indivisible chapter, who has sent a daily action for the past year. The women I hosted in my home for a Sunday Suppers, who were open to having a tough and open conversation with strangers about equality and justice. And the countless people who have come forward to share stories of sexual assault.
But I am not satisfied to sum this up as a #MeToo moment. This needs to be a long-lasting seismic shift in the way our discourse works. That means all hands on deck.
In the halls of the Sierra Club, we’ve been busy at work to support women’s causes in the ways we’re most effective. That means lending ear to mothers and families who have faced environmental injustice in their communities, speaking up about pollutants that disproportionately affect these populations and standing in solidarity with groups who stand up for social justice. It’s all about progress.
One year later, I am proud of what our country has shaped - a grassroots advocacy that is bursting at the seams with passion and energy, self-organized and ripe with excitement to make a difference. The Women’s March is slated to be a strong indicator of the pillars we’ve built over the past year. Sierra Club chapters will be marching in Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, California, Colorado, Illinois and other states across the country. We aren’t going away. We are rolling up our sleeves and marching on.
To find a 2018 Women’s March near you, click here. To share your story or why you march, take action here.