Pink pussy hats returned downtown Sunday, with thousands taking to the streets for the fourth annual Women’s March.
Since its inception in 2017, the event has marched on, albeit with less attendance and fervor.
“The first year was obviously a lot bigger, but the turnout today was pretty decent, especially with the limited planning and budget that they had,” said Angela Bridgman, the first openly trans candidate for state Senate. “I think we’ve done about as good as last year, at least.”
Led by Women Mobilize NC, activists of all ages marched downtown before convening at Halifax Mall to listen to over a dozen speakers and performers.
During the march, pussy-hatted participants carried witty signs and posters bemoaning the country’s current state of affairs, with calls to impeach President Donald Trump, oust US Senator Thom Tillis and protect reproductive rights.
But some calls for justice hit much closer to home, including pleas to address the public housing crisis in Durham that recently displaced over 300 residents from McDougald Terrace.
“We have witnessed affordable housing turn into contaminated housing from the deaths of a mother and her child 27 years ago in Walnut Terrace here in Raleigh from CO poisoning to last year, three infants dying from the same causes at McDougald Terrace,” said La’Meshia Kaminski, a campaign staffer with Friends of the Earth.
Ana Pardo of the NC Justice Center pushed for living wages and more accommodating labor rights for mothers, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
“Despite decades passing since women joined the workforce in droves, we’re still getting the short end of the stick,” said Pardo. “Women as a whole make 79 cents on the dollar that a white man makes doing the same job. If you are a woman of color, that gap widens into a chasm.”
But the rally wasn’t all bad news. Volunteers helped register citizens to vote and a notable amount of teenagers showed up to join the fight for equality.
The 2020 Raleigh Women’s March had great energy and passion. Women and allies of all ages and races came out to experience inspiring performers and focus on issues that women face. Issues were discussed with solutions, things can and should get better. The event also provided an opportunity to connect women and allies to non-profits that do the work. About 50 non-profits were represented at tables on Halifax Mall. The event also included a land acknowledgement and that Chilean anti-rape anthem that is spreading all over the world.