On Saturday, January 21 thousands of Calgarians turned up for the Calgary Women’s March on Washington. The march was a rally in the spirit of equity, diversity, inclusion and open to any and all who wanted to participate. YW Calgary was proud to have our team members, their families and friends join in solidarity. To us, the march was against the hate, division and vitriol of the United States election that left many feeling scared for their rights and their future. As the largest and longest serving women’s organization in Calgary, we felt a strong desire to add our voices, effect change while fighting for a cause that is bigger than each one of us.
At the Calgary march women carried signs identifying themselves as grandmothers; babies not yet walking; men; young women and those who will soon be young women and men. Some signs displayed language heard during the election, while others called for the protection of their rights. We felt the energy of 5000 individuals coming together with an unwavering sense of commitment to fight for human rights.
Calgary was one of 600 rallies across North America where citizens came together to raise their voices and say NO to hatred that seeks to divide. The Calgary event featured powerful speakers and a performance by the Lovebullies that left attendees feeling moved and motivated. The speakers elicited tears with their moving words while inspiring many to shout out and cheer in support.
The march, on the heels of the U.S. Presidential inauguration event comes at a time of uncertainty in the United States. The work to build equality, inclusion and freedom of expression is unending. We must continually look to our own communities and speak out against the hatred and harassment women face every day. We know that women have left leadership races because of threats from faceless users; we know that ministers of Parliament receive letters telling them to cover their skin and we know that Canada’s only female prime minister continues to actively speak out against sexism in politics today. We must continue to work for equity because we know it changes everything for families and for communities as a whole.
What is next? How do we keep the energy going? What can each of us do? Read the press release from the Women’s March on Washington Canada’s social media page. Support the calls to action outlined in the letters and hold all Canadian political parties accountable for women.
As we take the incredible energy from the march back to our Monday routines, we know that nothing is routine. How are you, your organization, or your community carrying the energy and the spirit of this march into the future? We want to hear your thoughts on what we can do! If you have an idea, e-mail us at communications@ywcalgary.ca
