On Saturday, January 20, almost one year since Trump’s inauguration as President, women around the U.S. took to the streets to march in support of progressive causes and to show their dissatisfaction with the Trump Administration. Demonstrators rallied in great numbers in cities from Los Angeles to Seattle to New York City, some even protesting outside of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Hotel dressed as handmaids in reference to “The Handmaiden’s Tale.” According to an advisor to Mayor Bill de Blasio, over 200,000 protestors attended the march in New York City.
Even Trump addressed the Women’s March via Twitter. He wrote on Saturday:
Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!
Among the marchers were many Yale students, from a variety of backgrounds and interests. The Politic collected a series of photos, videos, and reflections from some of those in attendance.
Tanvi Mehta BK ’21
On Saturday, January 20th, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of New York City for the Women’s March on NYC. This march, a year after the Women’s March on Washington, D.C., is a testament to the hope, strength, and love that persists every day in this nation. Walking in this march was an incredibly humbling and powerful experience. To see so many people fighting for fundamental human rights for EVERYONE gave me hope for the future of our children, this nation, and this world. People of all gender identities, sexual orientations, races, age, countries of origin, and socioeconomic standing took their Saturday to stand for what they believe in. Signs could be seen far and wide pressing our nation’s leaders and citizens to address issues including women’s rights, LGBTQI+ rights, worker’s rights, civil rights, disability rights, immigrant rights, and environmental justice. In the wake of a year of the Trump presidency, chants of “hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has gotta go,” resonated through the streets. While we were walking along 68th street, we saw a father and his son sitting on the steps of their apartment, watching and talking to those in the march. While marching we spoke to one of the younger protesters, Tobias, who gave his insights on immigration reform, education reform, equality, providing nutritional food to all of our citizens, and many more topics. He spoke, more eloquently than many of our leaders today, saying, “We need money to pay our teachers, not military weapons,” and “everyone should be treated equally, no matter who they are.” We also had the neat experience of speaking to a group, called “Equity,” who asked us to give our insights on why we were at the march, how we can make a change, how to challenge the men who are in power, and what we hope our future will look like. Through this photo essay, I hope that you are able to see not only the signs, but the people behind them. Those that are fighting for what they believe in. Those that are standing up to the systemic oppression that has plagued our country. Those that are fighting for fundamental human rights for everyone. I hope that in years to come, we will not have to protest. I hope that the equality we are fighting for today, is apparent tomorrow. In the words of our sign, “We will not rest until none are oppressed.”
Oishani Basuchoudhary BK ’21
I’m Oishani Basuchoudhary, and I’m a first-year in Berkeley. I went to the Women’s March because there’s this amazing sense of community at events like it, when you’re surrounded by people who care about the same issues that you do, and who want to see the same problems fixed as you do. I think the march reinforced how furious people are with the Trump administration and its actions over the past year. I went to last years march on DC, and I remember the vibe was very “love in the face of bigotry.” This year felt more like anger in the face of bigotry.
Veena Muraleetharan PC ’20
2017 was exhausting for a lot of different reasons, so I went to find the energy that comes from being surrounded by such a large number people who are just as fed up and tired as you are and are ready to keep doing something about it. It isn’t just about showing up on one day, for one march, but about finding the courage to take action afterwards.
Veena is part of the leadership team of Reproductive Justice Action League at Yale (RALY), which sponsored a group of students to attend the Women’s March with funding help from Yale’s Dwight Hall.
Irene Vazquez BK ’21
I think the march meant even more to me this year after a year’s worth of dealing with the madness of the 2017 political landscape. It showed me that the resistance is stronger than ever, that we are not tired, and that we will continue to fight for what we believe in.
Irene is Communications Director for RALY.
Berenice Valencia Fernandez MY ’19
Berenice is a writer for The Politic and a visiting international student from Mexico studying Hispanic Literature.
Last year I felt really disappointed after the election. I felt like Trump’s victory represented a loss for feminism, but when I saw the Women’s March pictures on the internet, it felt like a reminder of our strength and I wanted to be a part of it. I couldn’t because I was in Monterrey so this year, when I saw there would be another one I wanted to be a part of the movement that inspired me.
Sarah Stein ES ’19
I went to the march because, in the midst of the doubt and fear 2017 has brought, I want to be surrounded by people who believe in equality and justice for all humans and for our planet. We also need to build up excitement for the 2018 midterm elections!
Kendra Libby SY ’21
I marched because women from all walks of life deserve equality in the eyes of the law and society.
Anna Blech GH ’19
Anna, a Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Politic, is a junior in Grace Hopper College majoring in East Asian Studies.
Cristina Bermudez BF ’21
I went [to the Women’s March] because there’s nothing like not hearing your own voice in a sea of people chanting and fighting for what they believe in. It’s cathartic and empowering.
