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National Women’s Marches protest Trump UW students travel to D.C. for march Story by Sammy Gibbons
MORGAN WINSTON/THE DAILY CARDINAL
At the Women’s March on Madison, part of an international network of protests against Donald Trump, some attendees donned “pussyhats” to show support for women’s empowerment.
Madison Women’s March against Trump draws 100,000 By Gina Heeb THE DAILY CARDINAL
Thousands swarmed State Street on Donald Trump’s first full day as president Saturday in a protest to raise awareness for rights of women and other populations they fear could be in jeopardy under the new White House administration. The Women’s March on Madison is one of hundreds of satellite protests that took place across the nation and internationally this weekend to stand in solidarity with a major march taking place in Washington, D.C., and up to 100,000 were estimated by the Madison Police Department to have attended the march on State Street. Following the lead of the Women’s March on Washington, organized in the nation’s capital, participants walked from Library Mall at the bottom of State Street to the Madison Capitol building. Protesters in pink hats and knit “pussy cat” hats chanted, “No hate. No fear. Everyone is welcome here,” and “fired up” as they marched. As speakers were starting around 1 p.m., the compact crowd still stretched all the way back to Bascom Hill, with protesters raising signs and chanting. One of the first speakers was UW-Madison doctoral student Sagashus Levingston. “It is [about] investing to
make sure we all have the tools and resources to act on our own behalfs,” she said. “Most things, if not all things, are only as strong as their most vulnerable party.” As chants such as, “This is what democracy looks like” and “Not my president,” continued throughout the crowd, Madison School District history teacher and queer youth advocate Abigail Swetz took the stage. Swetz told the audience she focuses on teaching her students to be active citizens.
“We need to stand up and fight back for equality and inclusion.” Lena Taylor senator Wisconsin Senate
“In all the anti-bullying training I got, I was told the most important thing is to not be a bystander,” she said. “There is nothing more important to me than keeping my students safe,” Swetz said, echoing the sentiment of marginalized students at UW-Madison who felt scared and confused following the election of Trump. Darla Lannert, a member of the Wisconsin Transgender Health Coalition board of direc-
tors, a transgender woman and a prominent advocate for transgender rights, spoke at the protest about visibility under the Trump administration. “Any time a transgender person leaves their home they’re making a statement in a world that says we don’t exist,” Lannert said. “Today, I exist.” Protesters stressed intersectionality, with a woman leading chants of “Black Lives Matter” through a megaphone. Two Democratic state legislators from Milwaukee—Sen. Lena Taylor and Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa—who have made historic steps in Wisconsin government, also addressed the crowd. Taylor was the second black woman to become a state senator and Zamarripa was the first latina woman to become a state representative. “We need to stand up and fight back for equality and inclusion,” Taylor said. Men who attended the march stressed the importance of solidarity with women. “Women affect everything,” said Steven Forbes, a protester from Milwaukee. “With Trump being so unabashedly nasty, resistance is needed.” Even after march participant estimates surged from 10,000 to 100,000, Madison Police Department reported having no issues maintaining citizen safety.
WASHINGTON—A group of 14 UW-Madison students piled into a nine-person van this weekend and crossed the country to join nearly half a million people near the Capitol building for a solidarity march meant to unite the world in social justice movements. U.S. citizens and individuals from other countries, young children and elderly folks, various genders and all races were present at the Women’s March on Washington Saturday. Attendees showed support for women’s rights—which speakers said are merely human rights—and spoke out against controversial statements made by President Donald Trump. Similar women’s marches took place in 370 cities and six continents, according to event organizers at the march. Joanna Finstad, a UW-Madison Veterinary School student, coordinated a ride-share with the students who signed up in time. She said she combined her motivation to attend the event and her planning skills to organize the trip, which she said was important for many reasons. “I think [undergraduate] students are the future,” Finstad said. “Getting this generation motivated and getting them passionate is what’s going to change things. So, if there were students that wanted to go I wanted to make sure I was able to help them do that.” The group made it through a car ride that lasted more than 13
hours just in time for the pre-march rally. Hundreds of people already filled the space upon their arrival, many holding read phrases such as, “You work for us now,” and “I can’t believe I’m still protesting this.” Four of the UW-Madison students that rode in the van identify as Muslim American and said they were representing their respective, and often underrepresented, cultures. One of the students, UW-Madison junior Sara Easa, said she had been worried about “white-washing” of the event, but was pleased to see diversity in the speakers and apparent intersectionality in many of the posters. Another student traveller, junior Zahra Bashir, said she came to represent and unite with both women and Muslim communities. “[After the election] it took me a while to understand that I’m not alone, and today clearly represented that,” Bashir said. “Everyone was there because they are going to fight. There’s so many women that feel the same way I do, and we’re here to fight for what’s right. I’m not scared anymore. Now, I say ‘bring it on.’” The rally included celebrity speakers and social justice activists, starting off with actress America Ferrera. Other speakers included President Rhea Shuh of the Natural Resources Defense Council, who co-sponsored the event along with Planned Parenthood, which actress Scarlett Johansson told a personal tale of in her speech. Hundreds of men marched along in solidarity with women in their lives, or for human rights, including UW-Madison Veterinary School
march page 3
HALLE LAMBEAU/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Hundreds of thousands took to Washington, D.C., Saturday to protest.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”