A sister event to the Women’s March on Washington took place here in Austin, TX on Saturday, January 21, 2017. This March to the Capitol of Texas was to show the strength, power and courage and demonstrate the disapproval of the new president and his values in a peaceful march. An estimated 40,000 people were in attendance for this march. From daughters to granddaughters, welcomed as well as like-minded men, sons, grandsons. Letting the world know we women stand with all women! No woman is free unless all women are free.

A New York based chef names Breanne Butler was one of the women that helped organized the march which became to be known as the “Women’s March on Washington”. After Donald Trump’s inauguration, Butler’s friend, Bob Bland, posted on Facebook about organizing a march. Eager to help, Butler organized the groups and gained a large following of a couple thousand people. However, by the end of the weekend, the number went up to six figures. On the Washington march’s website, there’s a platform outlining its purpose. “Women’s rights are human rights” it reads, welcoming anyone to come along.

The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, and threatened many of us: immigrants of all statuses, Muslims and those of diverse religious faiths, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Native people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, and survivors of sexual assault. This march was intended to send a bold message to the new administration on their first day in office, and to the world, that women’s rights are human rights. We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us. We support the advocacy and resistance movements that reflect our multiple and intersecting identities. We call on all defenders of human rights to join us. This march is the first step towards unifying our communities, grounded in new relationships, to create change from the grassroots level up. We will not rest until women have parity and equity at all levels of leadership in society. We work peacefully while recognizing there is no true peace without justice and equity for all. HEAR OUR VOICE.