This weekend, the BUST team, donning our reproductive rights bandanas and our take-no-shit countenances, bussed out to D.C at the crack of dawn to roar at the injustices of our new President’s policies and ideology.
The Women’s March was a success, but the measure of its true impact and lasting effects are the words and actions it has prompted.
Due to the overwhelming degree of peaceful protest and thoughtful rhetoric, we have compiled a list of The Women’s March on Washington’s top hits, if you will.
1. Emily’s List undertook a “Ready to Run” training to help pro-choice Democrat women run/campaign for office:
Image via @emilys_list
After over 1 million women marched on Washington, 500 of them attended a training session held by Emily’s List, which educates, empowers and inspires women on how to run for various political positions in the country. According to McClatchy News, the event featured various women in government who spoke about the adversity they overcame to reach their position, such as Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, who “told the women about breaking through as the first Indian American woman in the U.S. House of Representatives…’Don’t think that because you’re not connected to the wealthiest people in the world that you can’t run for office.’”
And if you want to see the silver lining, much like how in Arrival the aliens help humanity unite, the Donald is making the left take action, like Blanca Rosales who “admitted that she had not always wanted to seek office. The election changed that…I had thought, ‘I’m only 22. I’m not qualified for anything.’ But today reminded me that that’s what women often do…We always wait to feel more ready, more qualified. But men, they don’t think twice.”
That has been made quite evident by the election in which an unprepared ogre won instead of a super-qualified public servant.
Emily’s List constantly offers training in different areas of the country, check out their site here for more.
2. The Women’s March was one of the most attended protests in history!
According to Vice News, the Women’s March had a turnout of 3.2 million and counting.
Washington, D.C., reportedly had the highest turnout, with 485,000 protesters, a number so large it overwhelmed the official march route, packed the National Mall and other avenues as the mass slowly moved from the U.S. Capitol to the White House. D.C. was followed by Los Angeles, with 450,000, and then New York, with 400,000 protesters.
Photo by Mary-Louise Price Foss
3. Women united across the globe in an unprecedented manner.
The Women’s March, originally planned in D.C spread like wild femme-fire all over the nation and to at least 75 other sister marches across the world.
Isis Madrid pointed out on Public Radio International that “not all sister marches are anti-Trump — not even the DC demonstration makes mention of the president in its stated principles. For many, this is a fitting platform to speak up for specific issues affecting women in their communities. In South America, many people are marching against violence against women. In Antarctica and Australia, the environment is a major focus.”
That’s right, even people in Antartica were marching!
4. Angela Davis, civil rights activist and feminist, give an arresting speech calling women to resist:
If one leaves with just a gem from Davis’ speech, let it be the simple phrase in the middle, “No human being is illegal.”
After that, she calls upon women to resist the injustices that exist and the ones that are sure to come with the new administration:
“We dedicate ourselves to collective resistance. Resistance to the billionaire mortgage profiteers and gentrifiers. Resistance to the health care privateers. Resistance to the attacks on Muslims and on immigrants. Resistance to attacks on disabled people. Resistance to state violence perpetrated by the police and through the prison industrial complex. Resistance to institutional and intimate gender violence, especially against trans women of color.”
5. Elizabeth Warren delivered a speech on equality and responsibility in Boston:
Elizabeth Warren appeared on the frigid Boston Common’s on Saturday afternoon wrapped in a pink Planned Parenthood scarf to deliver a speech reminding people of what American integrity looks like — a country that protects it’s people and others, who is made stronger when together and who leads by example, treating people and the environment with care and respect.
The Massachusetts senator received applause and laughter when she said, “I’m going to say something that is really controversial in some places in Washington: We believe in science.” She continued, “We know that climate change is real and we have a moral responsibility to protect this earth for our children and our grandchildren.”
6. Ashley Judd Recites “I Am Nasty Woman” Spoken Word Poem:
Ashley Judd slayed on stage when she, according to Variety, interrupted Michael Moore and began reciting a poem written by 19-year-old named Nina Donovan. The poem proudly embraces the term “Nasty Woman” and points fingers at Trump’s own nastiness.
7. Gloria Steinem reminds us of the past so we can persevere in the future:
In this day and age, Gloria reminds us of something rare but essential: “Sometimes we must put our bodies where our beliefs are.” At an age where we are so accustomed to hiding behind our screens, to sit back and retweet, it is astounding that so many people slipped back into their bodies and materialized to show the ferocity of power in numbers, the power in bodies.
A power that is threatened, “when collectively, violence against females in the world has produced a world in which for the first time there are fewer females than males.”
Also on the topic of internet toxicity, she reminds us that, “a Twitter finger must not become a trigger finger.” And if all Trump has at the end of the day are his lazy, fictitious tweets, then we, the bodies have so much more.
This is shown true by situations in like the one in “Poland where last month the government passed an anti-abortion law and six million women turned out in the streets and they had to change it. We are the people.”
“And remember the constitution does not begin with ‘I, the president.’ It begins with ‘We, the people.'”
“We’ve elected an impossible president, we’re never going home. We’re staying together. And we’re taking over. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Make sure you introduce yourselves to each other and decide what we’re gonna do tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and we’re never turning back. Thank you.”
Thank you, Gloria, for your incantations. May we remember.
8. Hillary Clinton was a-tweetin’ with glee
After witnessing her sullen face and her white pantsuit on inauguration day, it was uplifting to see that the Women’s March revitalized Hillary as much as it did us (replete with emoji fist-bumps and all)!
9. America Ferrera lends her voice to immigration:
America is not only a prominent TV star, she has also acted as an immigration activist over the last several years and has been vocal on award shows and interviews about the unjust treatment towards Latinos and other people of color in the industry and beyond. She is against stereotypes and walls and is letting Trump know!
Also…RESIST TRUMP! Planned Parenthood Benefit Show and Raffle:
Sure, Bushwick has a rap for being slovenly and navel-gazing, but this weekend they are using their ethos of cool to gather people to party their way into political action. Be sure to stop by on the 27th at Alphaville in the heart of Bushwick to help Planned Parenthood. More details here.
Also, also, be our Valentine for our BUST sponsored Planned Parenthood Benefit!
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