Köneürgench 
Chicago NOW along with its generous donors made possible travel for twelve individuals to attend and take part in the Women’s March on Washington. The March took place January 21 and brought together hundreds of thousands of people from varying age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and socio-economic groups. Beyond the diverse communities that were represented at the march, several different issues were highlighted including climate change, unobstructed access to abortion and birth control, environmental issues and LGBTQ equality.
Civil rights activist Angela Davis spoke of the importance of building communities across difference, forming defense—be it legal or otherwise—for the most vulnerable individuals among us as well as those abroad. Mothers of the Movement, a group of women (including Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin) whose children were killed by police, spoke with both strength and vulnerability echoing Davis’ point. As a uniting principle, all in attendance understood that the issues condensed to cardboard sized slogans and thirty second speeches were lifelong experiences of struggle and resistance, and that the call for action is immediate.
