WASHINGTON — Cynthia Farquhar was 16 years old when she attended her first protest in Washington, D.C., joining Martin Luther King Jr. at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Sixty-two years later, two days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, Farquhar was one of thousands of protesters in Washington for the People’s March.
“I’m always back,” Farquhar said at the Jan. 18 march, a “Stop Mass Deportation” sign around her neck.
The People’s March in Washington was one of over 20 People’s Marches and rallies organized in over a dozen cities across the country throughout inauguration weekend. The People’s March was rebranded from the 2017 Women’s March, which protested Trump’s 2016 presidential win.
Starting in three different locations across Washington, protesters merged at the Lincoln Memorial for a rally. They brought attention to rights believed to be in danger under the incoming Trump presidency, including reproductive rights and LGBTQIA+ rights.
“I didn’t want four more years of Trump, so I’m here to express that,” Farquhar said.
Other causes advocated by protesters included immigration, racial justice, anti-facism and the dangers of ignoring climate change. Farquhar said two other reasons why she marched were supporting transgender youth and advocating for an end to current wars.
Signs and flags elevated by protesters expressed similar messages to Farquhar’s. Some waved LGBTQ pride flags, while others held signs with messages like “Not going back,” “Bans off our bodies” and “Down with facism.”
Hannah Stephens, vice president of organizing for the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union, came to advocate for workers’ rights and unionization. Stephens emphasized the importance of fighting for the rights of workers from all backgrounds.
“We are supporting our immigrant workers,” Stephens said. “We are supporting our LGBTQIA workers. But overall, we are fighting against fascism and against the attacks on the vulnerable.”
Bethany Slayton, a protestor from Maryland, said issues that brought her to the march included women’s rights and abortion access. Back in Washington eight years after attending the 2017 Women’s March, Slayton said people should never be afraid of voicing their thoughts and fighting for equality.
“It makes me feel more powerful, like I’m making a difference,” Slayton said. “I’m doing something and working towards it. Even though someone else might not be here, they might see us out here on our [social media] stories and then want to come to another one next time.”
Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, an activist and the first Black woman to serve as co-executive director at the Highlander Research and Education Center, was the rally’s last speaker. She read remarks sent in by political activist Angela Davis. Davis’ message emphasized unity and resilience, telling the crowd to not succumb to fear or despair.
“It’s so important that so many people are gathering in Washington, D.C., and around the country today to say ‘No,’” said Woodard Henderson, reading Davis’ remarks. “Exclusively, ‘No’ to the reactionary agenda of this new regime. Trump may have won the November election, but we’re here to say that we will never, ever be complicit in the kind of fascist programming that he is threatening to put in place.”
