Voices From the Women’s Marches
Marking the anniversary of the Women’s March in January 2017, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in major cities and small towns around the globe over the weekend, marching for women’s rights from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Pikeville, Ky., to Washington to Rome on Saturday and from Paris to London to Las Vegas, Nev. on Sunday. Photographers went to rallies for The New York Times and asked marchers what their hopes were for 2018.
Las Vegas
“One thing I hope for women in 2018? I want us to prove that we can. ... We are here. We know we can do it now. We are here to stay.”
Lisa Paz, 36, a Pawnee/Comanche Native American from Rio Rancho, N.M., marched with her best friend, a young African-American woman. Last year, Ms. Paz marched in Washington.
“There is power in numbers. We all have different reasons for being here, but we are all here to educate ourselves and empower each other. It is an honor to be here.”
Summer Thomad, 19, of Las Vegas, Nev., marched with her best friend. She marched last year in Las Vegas, and said she had an amazing time. “It felt like such an important moment in history,” Ms. Thomad added.
“I hope women keep coming together for positive movements in 2018.”
Shaimimi Branch, 22, of Las Vegas, Nev. was marching with her best friend. For extra credit in her women’s studies class, Ms. Branch observed and took note of the types of people attending the march, her first.
“I hope we flood the polls, and the House turns pink, the Senate turns pink, and the White House in 2020 turns pink.”
Dorothy Engelman, 68, of Lansing, Mich., marched with a group of friends. “We’ve been through a lot together,” she added.
Photographs by Jenna Schoenefeld for The New York Times
Milwaukee
“In 2018, I want equal rights for everyone; to be noticed, to not be silenced, and not be looked at as angry when I speak up for what I want.”
Alenitu Caldart, 15, center, of Shorewood, Wis., marched with her friends and her mother. In 2017, Ms. Caldart joined the women’s march in Washington.
“I believe that women are the key to world peace and justice. I’m hoping that all women infuse their organizations with the common good, because that’s what we need for our country.”
Philip Blank, 88, of Milwaukee, marched with a painting of his late wife, Beatrice, because “she was in on the ground floor, she joined NOW as soon as she knew about it.” Last year, he marched in Madison, Wis.
“We are demanding change, and we are tired of women being put on the back burner. A woman’s place is in the White House. In 2018, we want to see more women in power.”
Natalia Renteria, 48, left, of Milwaukee, marched with her mother, Margarita Renteria, 68, of Stevens Point, Wis. Last year, Margarita marched in Madison, Wis. This was Natalia’s first march.
Photographs by Sara Stathas for The New York Times
Pikeville, Ky.
“In 2018, we want girls to stay strong and be confident in what they can do. The more that we stand together, the more that we can do together”
Lakynn Otten, 11, left, and Ryleigh Bradley, 7, of Floyd County, Ky. They marched with their aunt.
“I hope that women fill up a whole lot of offices. That’s what it’ll take to turn this around. We need to step up to the plate and do it.”
Beverly May, 59, of Maytown, Ky., marched because “it seems like every day is an assault on my soul with what comes out in Washington.” She added, “The dismantling of our democracy and the lies and corruption and hate is oppressive.” Last year she marched in Lexington, Ky.
“I hope for fair representation and more women in the government. I think that’s where change will happen.”
Preeti Sahasi, 43, marched with her daughter Anikaa Sharma, 7, “because women’s rights are human rights.” Ms. Sahasi marched in Pikeville in 2017.
“I’m participating because education is the only cure for ignorance. I believe women know compassion and kindness and love and empathy more than men.”
Trenton Maughan, 26, of Paintsville, Ky., marched with his boyfriend and friends. This was his first march; he said he regretted not taking part last year. “I hated that I missed it, so I’m very happy to be here today.”
Photographs by Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times
Eugene, Ore.
“In 2018, I want to end this rape culture.”
Cecelia Honey, 50, of Eugene, was leading the Women’s March with Samba Ja, a Brazilian percussion ensemble.
“I want everyone to become equal. It’s like we are still living in the 1920s and it is ridiculous. We need freedom for all.”
Rebekkah Logan, 20, of Corvallis, Ore., marched with the Oregon State University women’s rugby club to “support equality for everybody.”
“I want an equal platform to stand on, and access to health care rights and reproductive choices.”
Lily Hendricks, 27, from Indiana.
Photographs by Leah Nash for The New York Times
New York
“I am marching for more peace in the world, and so that everyone has respect for each other.”
Naseem Craddock, 10, marched with his mother, Karaneh Ashourizadegan, who marched last year as well.
“We’re three generations — my mother, my daughter and me. It’s incumbent upon us as women to stand up and represent. Things are not going to change if we don’t become the instruments of change.”
Dianne Ramirez-Pezzilli, 51, center, her daughter Grace Pezzilli, 14, left, and her mother Jeanette Sullivan, 72, from Harlem. They all marched last year in New York.
“I want to connect more with women’s issues. Being a gay man, it sometimes is easy to not be surrounded by women. Just being here and seeing the people is important, and looking around at the signs. They’re amazing. You learn so much just from looking at people’s signs. And hearing people chant.”
Spencer Pond, 23, right, and MacKenzie Friedmann, 24, roommates from Astoria. Ms. Friedmann marched for the first time. “I’ve been very fortunate in my life to not really have to come up against a lot of discrimination for being a woman,” she said. “So I think it’s an amazing feat that so many people who have had such harder times than me are coming together.”
Photographs by Annie Tritt for The New York Times
Brownsville, Tex.
“I am marching because I want women to continue fighting, and for the conversation to be more inclusive of the transgender community.”
Joe Uvalles, 28, whose stage name is Beatrix and who is from Brownsville.
“I’m going to leave better humans behind. I want minorities to be treated as part of this country.”
Karla Reese, 32, left, from Brownsville, marched with her children, from center left, Marcus Reese, 4, César Bolaños, 14, Héctor Bolaños, 11, and Karla Bolaños, 16.
“I want for my daughter to eradicate the notion that it’s a man’s world. To know that women are powerful, a force to be reckoned with.”
Kristeena Banda, 36, from McAllen, Tex., marched with her daughter Mikayla Pecina, 6.
Photographs by Verónica G. Cárdenas for The New York Times
Cheyenne, Wyo.
“Wyoming is a bit behind. I would like to get to the point where men who don’t see women as equal think twice and all get on the same page.”
Rachelle Barkhurst, 33, from Laramie, Wyo., marched with the Wyoming Art Party as part of its “art in action” class.
“Too many of us have been quiet for too long. I hope for more women in office in 2018.”
Misty, from Laramie, marched with fellow graduate students and friends.
“We need to stand up not only for our choices, but for everyone else’s choices, even if we disagree. We have to accept each other and respect each other and meet in the middle.”
Lisa Scott, 52, from Cheyenne.
Photographs by Leslie Lund for The New York Times
Huntsville, Ala.
“I hope that we won’t be treated as toys or pushed around by ‘macho’ men. I want our family to be seen as a family like any other.”
Ana Delacey, 15, left, from Guntersville, Ala., marched with her siblings and her two mothers “because of some of the horrible things our president has said about women.”
“I chose this sign because the term ‘Angry Black Woman’ is so heavily stigmatized, and I want black women in 2018 to know they are allowed to feel the widest amount of human emotions, and that includes anger. Because anger inspires impactful change.”
Camilla Ahmed, 22, from Huntsville, marched with her friend Kaylah, right, “because injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere.”
“I hope that it’s no longer abnormal for a woman to run for office. I’m so tired of hearing this is the ‘first’ so and so ... and I hope they will be excellent leaders.”
Denise Cook, center, from Huntsville, marched in honor of her late husband, who marched with her in 2017.
Photographs by Stacy Kranitz for The New York Times
Washington
“As a woman, I feel it’s my responsibility to be here. Practice the privilege you have. I came from a land where people had to die to vote. Americans can change their history by protesting.”
Awalin Sopan, 33, from Virginia, dressed as a character from “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Ms. Sopan, originally from Bangladesh, became a United States citizen in 2017.
“I’m here for myself, my beautiful girls, other women of color and women who might not have the opportunity to be here, because representation matters. We wish to remind those in power that we see and hear you, and we hold you accountable. In 2018, women need to have a place at the table. [The government] needs to hear us speak.”
Asia Davis, of Davenport, Fla., marched with her stepdaughters Zayda, Zoey and Zailey Martin. They took time before the march to read President Abraham Lincoln’s words at the Lincoln Memorial.
“We need more respect in 2018. Respect that would go toward the M.M.I.W. [missing and murdered indigenous women], the pipeline and honoring native women in the U.S. and Canada.”
Marah Rockhold, a Virginia resident, is originally from the Cayuse Nation in Warm Springs, Ore. She marched in Seattle in 2017.
Photographs by Andrea Bruce for The New York Times
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