January 18 was the fourth annual Women's March in Washington, D.C.
While the main march was in D.C., sister marches were held around the country in over 200 cities. The rallies aimed to highlight important topics such as climate, immigration and reproductive rights. Another major aim this year specifically was the importance of getting out there and voting.
Keynote speaker Rep. Katie Porter is quoted during her speech at the Orange County Women's March by The OCR,
"When we have the courage to organize, to speak up, and to fight back, we have the power to make real change and move out country forward."
According to Pew Research Center, both men and women turned out at record rates in the 2018 midterm election. In a push for women to become more active in social justice issues, women turned out to vote at slightly higher rates than men. 2020 Women's Marches around the country aimed to encourage more of a turnout each year.
A new aspect to the March this year was the removal of performances and speeches from celebrities. The event strived to connect all of the participants, having everyone march alongside each other in celebration.
It's reported that participation across the country was lower than in past years.
While there was no march in Columbus, there was an event in Westerville at Westerville City Hall. Cincinnati's march was organized by United We Stand, an organization that advocates for human rights. Downtown Dayton's march pulled a crowd, as people collected at Courthouse Square. Cleveland.com reports that about 200 people participated in the 2020 Cleveland Women's March.
Mallory Arnold is an editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.