After the Women’s March on Washington there was a big question of, “Now what?” Thousands gathered to raise their voices in a battle cry heard across the country, and then it was over. But, that’s not entirely true. Though the march itself was over, that by no means signaled the end of the war. When the Suffrage movement had ended, women did not take that as a cue to take their winnings and move on. Instead, they used it as encouragement to see all of the possibilities for their future. So, during times of struggle and hopelessness, look back and see the impossibleness of what had been accomplished. Revel in the power of society and the strength of an individual. Change is possible if only we are brave enough to fight for it.

The winter of 2017, over five hundred thousand people congregated in Washington D.C. to fight the misogyny of the current government. Purposefully scheduled only a day after the inauguration of Donald Trump, people of all genders, sexulities, races, religions, and overall backgrounds joined each other and marched side by side. 

Many women have spent their entire lives protesting the inequality and sexism that rampages through the United States. From blatant harmful acts of sexual assault being dismissed by courts, to less noticeable slights of wage gaps the battle was never ending. The final straw breaking the camel’s back was the inauguration of a man known for his sexist remarks, and in several cases, for his sexual assault allegations. Donald Trump had become president, and women decided their country had taken it too far. So, they took a stand. 

In fact, many notable celebrities were in attendance. Scarlett Johanson, Madonna, and Lupita Nyong’o all made an appearance. Even more socialites were seen in locations other than Washington D.C. In New York people saw Naomi Watts and Mark Ruffalo. Los Angeles hosted Willow Smith, Ariana Grande, and Miley Cyrus. All over the country people fought for the betterment of their society. 

Of course, as with any change within a society (for the better or worse), there were those against the movement. Donald Trump himself made an attempt at downplaying the turnout, boasting untruthfully about the mass amount of people that showered him with praise at his inauguration. Still, the protesters marched proudly onwards, oftentimes accompanied by signs. Some were written using straight up facts and statistics, others used more creative tactics with song lyrics, quotes, or puns. 

I myself did not bring a sign, but I did in fact attend the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. My parents bought plane tickets, and flew us to a hotel in Washington D.C. where we met up with my grandmother. Before even reaching Washington, the excitement was electric in the air. On airplanes people proudly displayed their hats and t-shirts proclaiming their participation. Laughter and strength grew amongst people as they readied themselves for tomorrow’s big day. 

We woke up early, got ourselves ready, and began our journey to the march. We were packed tighter than sardines in the subway systems, the vastness of the crowds proved too much for those who wished to travel via cars. It wasn’t much better after exiting the tunnels. Massive screens displayed the speakers and performers, in some cases even that wasn’t enough and people would climb trees, signs, and streetlights. Anything to get a better view. The streets pulsated with energy and you could see the vigor in people’s eyes. 

On that day, nothing mattered except for the hypnotic excitement that filled everyone’s veins. There is nothing quite so all enveloping as being a part of something so much bigger than yourself.