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1/31/2017: UUJEC and the Women's March, by Rachel Bennett Steury

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If there’s a march to promote peace, to oppose injustice or to simply share in love and solidarity, you are guaranteed to see Unitarian Universalists in attendance. And that also applies to the board here at UUJEC. Even though we are scattered throughout the country, we were still able to join together toward a common cause for an issue we all care deeply about: human rights. As we witnessed the Women’s March expanding from DC to every pocket of the world, our board members were there. We were everywhere!

I participated in the march in Los Angeles, which drew a reported 750,000 people. My big city never felt so cramped as we inched through the beautifully congested streets with signs of love, promise and commitment. And even in the midst of so many messages, the one that was noticed was my shirt, “Standing on the Side of Love” as fellow UU’s I’ve never met, knew I was one of them.

    Some of our board members have shared their experiences at other marches that day: 

  

Carol Allen and Kit Marlow march in Trenton

From Carol: I went to the Trenton, NJ march. We had 6,000 including quite a few from the church. My singing group, The Solidarity Singers, sang in Trenton. My daughter and granddaughter went to DC on one of two busses from UUC Princeton, NJ  

Jane Bannor marched in Chicago

From Jane: Lee and I got off an Amtrak train from Virginia at 10am on Saturday, and immediately joined the march.  I'm the lady in the pink and grey-multi colored 'pussy hat' with her back to you in one of the photos.  You'll note that I'm toting the roller bag along with me.  The train ride to / from Va was a great opportunity to knit that hat -- which ended up much too big.  The crowd in Chicago's loop was very good-natured, with lots of families and mother / daughter / Grandma groups in attendance. There were lots of chants and lots of drumming.  The crowd completely overwhelmed Federal Plaza, where the march was supposed to end.  So course many folks decided it made sense to continue marching North toward Trump Tower.

Karla Chew: I marched in St. Petersburg, FL

Michael Teasdale: I marched in Ventura, CA

Dean Wanderer: I was a hotel keeper and driver for our march.

Dick Burkhart marched in Seattle

From Dick: I marched with others in Seattle. It was by far the biggest march in living memory (at least 5 times the WTO and Iraq War marches), probably in the entire history of Seattle.  Likely between 100,000 and 150,000 people (110,000 transit rides verified), with huge crowds arriving continuously at Seattle Center for over 4 years. One friend was locked in place in the middle of a crowd for 2 hours just waiting to get started, and then it was very slow going. Very peaceful, with all kinds of homemade signs and “pussy hats”.

Virginia McDonald: I went to Asheville, North Carolina where about 30 folks attended from UUTC. There was a crowd of 10,000.  


                   

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