BY: HALEY BROWN / STAFF WRITER

On January 18th, 2025, tens of thousands of motivated Americans came out to protest across the nation. A nationwide protest collaboratively organized by The Women’s March, Abortion Rights Now, Sierra Club, ACLU, National Women’s Law Center, and Planned Parenthood hit the streets of Washington DC.
There were an estimated 50,000 attendees in DC, with over 100,000 in total including all those attending similar marches nationwide and internationally. Countries such as Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and more marched in solidarity with the movement.


In the DC march, protesters walked to the Lincoln Memorial from Farragut Square, McPherson Square, and Franklin Park. Marchers held signs reading declarative statements such as “We will not be silent”, “Immigrants are the backbone of our country”, “If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention,” and many more showcasing the passion of attendees.
The protest addressed a wide range of issues: women's equality, bodily autonomy, racial equality, opposition to Donald Trump’s policies, economic inequality, corrupt government officials, and LGBTQIA+ rights and equality. Many protesters were motivated by the incoming Trump administration, determined to show continued resistance against the policies they view as harmful.
The march occurred just days before Trump's second inauguration. This ignited the energy of the historic 2017 Women's March, which followed his first term's start. Organizers acknowledged the evolution of the movement, rebranding it as the People's March to broaden its appeal and address a wider array of concerns.
Jill Parrish of Austin, Texas, shared her story of how she originally booked tickets to DC for what she anticipated to be former Vice President Kamala Harris's inauguration. Instead, she adjusted her plans to join the protest, saying “The world should know that half of U.S. voters didn't support Trump.
As mentioned, there were marches across the country along with the DC march. Over 350 similar events took place nationwide, amplifying themes like Reproductive rights, immigration reform, climate action, and democracy.
The People's March also highlighted racial justice and anti-militarization. Unlike the singular focus of past women's suffrage marches, this protest united a vast array of causes under one banner, reflecting how in the modern day many social justice movements are ultimately connected.
However, not all attendees supported the march’s ideals. Right beside the DC protest was a small group of protesters arguing for the opposing side of all these topics. Many of them protested from a religiously motivated stance, shouting that the people’s marchers “celebrated sin” and “defy god”.
This group also held large signs saying things such as “Repent or perish”, “AIDS: Judgement or cure?”, and “Like sodom, you parade sin”. The group was immensely outnumbered by the march, but despite that, they decided to gather when hearing word of the march to discourage and shame protesters.
Seth Drayer, Vice President of the pro-life organization Created Equal Said “We are here to show what is being celebrated, abortion is being celebrated today.”

As the thousands of people marched in the cold weather of DC, as much as they sought to speak out, they also sought out community. Many protesters were the young and old hoping to connect the generations and teach everyone to care and want to have a voice.
Many made friends, sang songs, and tried to find comfort in their shared struggles. At one point there was a “peace tank”, a large constructed replica of an army tank, with its title on the side as it rolled around and played music.
Tamika Middleton, Managing Director of the People's March, emphasized that the movement's goals extended beyond a single event.
“We’re not thinking about the march as the endgame,” she said. “How do we get those folks who show up into political organizations and into their political homes so they can keep fighting in their communities long term?”
The People's March sought to connect generations, create community, and inspire ongoing activism. While the challenge of uniting diverse perspectives remains, organizers see this as an opportunity to amplify underrepresented voices and foster change.
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