Today, over two million people protested the inauguration of Donald Trump across the globe, via the Women’s Marches, according to USA Today. Menlo students marched along as near as San Francisco and as far as D.C. beyond. Why did they care to participate?
Photo courtesy of Dea Dressel
By Ellie Lieberman
Tim Smith ’17
San Jose Women’s March (25k participants)
Photo courtesy of Tim Smith
Why did you march?
Looking back In ten years and seeing that I did nothing would make me feel regretful.
How do you think the marches today will affect Trump’s presidency?
I think this sends a message to people all around the world who support Trump to at least consider the fact that America might not be so great with him acting as a lunatic instead of a president.
What moment stuck out to you from the march today?
I stopped and took a picture today because I thought it was really special when I saw a little boy who probably had no idea what was going on, but will look back in 10 years and feel glad he took part in the rallies.
Photo Courtesy of Smith
Montera Espinosa ’17
Photo courtesy of Montera Espinosa
San Francisco Women’s March (50k)
Why did you march today?
I marched today because women’s right are human rights.The march today helped raise awareness of the fact that women are just as powerful as men, and if we all stand together and have each other’s backs, we can be the change.
How do you think the march will affect Donald Trump’s presidency?
I think that the march has and will unite the people more, and hopefully we will be strong enough to change the course of Trump’s presidency.
What moment most stuck out with you from the march?
Just seeing the amount of people that were there and realizing that everyone who was there cares about women’s rights. We were all marching for the same reason. Everyone was so nice and supportive. People were complimenting complete strangers on their shirts or hats or signs.
Dea Dressel ’17
Washington D.C Women’s March (500k participants)
Photo Courtesy of Dea Dressel
Why did you march?
I marched to stand in solidarity with those who have been marginalized throughout history. This election has normalized this type of prejudice. I marched to combat disrespectful, excluding mindsets such as that.
How do you think the marches today will affect Trump’s presidency?
From what I’ve experienced, Donald Trump has lived by the motto, “No publicity is bad publicity,” so I’m interested in how he will react to the public. On the other hand, I can only imagine how terrible it would feel to have so much of, not only your country, but the world marching against what you stand for.
What moment stuck out to you from the march today?
When Trump supporters were there with signs that said “Abortion betrays women.” It prompted intelligent and thoughtful discussion on the viewpoints those supporters have with my family. However, this did not stop us from chanting back, “My body my choice”
Kelly Campa ’18
Photo Courtesy of Kelly Campa
San Francisco Women’s March (50k)
Why did you march?
I marched today to stand up for my rights and the rights of all the incredible women in my life; it’s terrifying to think that there might come a day when me or my sister or my friends are in trouble and need help from somewhere like Planned Parenthood that can no longer be provided. Although this march was obviously about Trump, I liked that it was focused around something more positive than just an anti-Trump protest. It also just felt so incredibly amazing to be out doing something for the first time since the election.
What moment stuck out to you from the march today?
On the BART over, the car was full of women in pink hats. But once we started marching, I realized that the protest wasn’t just made up of women. There were men, women, and children of every age and every color and we were all marching together with a common cause. It was a very unifying feeling.
What would you hope Americans unsatisfied with the election results will do next?
When I was waiting in line for the restroom, this elderly man came up to me and complimented me on my sign. We fell into a conversation and he said something like, “Man, this is great. But the only way this is going to matter is if this isn’t just a one-time thing. We have to keep doing things like this for all four years for it matter. ” And that’s the stance that I think America should take. When we see something that not’s okay, we have to keep talking and keep protesting.
Sophia Davirro ’17
Photo courtesy of Sophia Davirro
San Francisco Women’s March (50k)
Why did you march today?
I wanted to come together with other women and men to make sure that our presence was felt, along with all the other people marching around the country and world. I wanted to be an active part in fighting for an issue important to me, and this march seemed like a perfect opportunity for me to do just that. Instead of feeling the dread after the inauguration, I wanted to feel united through love and confidence with other Americans this weekend!
How do you think the march will affect Donald Trump’s presidency?
I think, or at least, I hope, that the extent of this march will make everyone, including Mr. Trump, think about how people will not back down from fighting for their rights. I hope it has shown people the values and issues we all really stand for and how important it is that our voices are not ignored. I think it has shown him the extent to which he has angered but also motivated people to come together and demand more
What moment most stuck out with you from the march?
One moment that stuck out for me was getting to the march. Seeing the Bart station completely packed with women in pink “p*ssy” hats filled me with so much joy and when we arrived at civic center, that was amplified 10 times more. It made me feel so connected with other people and with the rest of my community.
What do you think America should do next because the march is just one day?
I hope people continue to have the same amount of energy and spirit that they did going to the march! Continue marching, continue educating, and continue talking about the very same issue 2 million people were protesting about today, women’s rights!
Lauren Chan ’17
Photo Courtesy of Lauren Chan
San Francisco Women’s March (50k)
Why did you march today?
I marched because I believe in sending a proactive, preemptive message to Trump that women deserve to be respected.
How do you think the march will affect Donald Trump’s presidency?
I hope that Trump will see that women are a force to be reckoned with, and I would hope that the quantity of protestors out today from all over will show him that the world is watching.
What moment most stuck out with you from the march?
There was one young (seven or eight years old) black girl who was actually leading call-and-response chants during the march with a megaphone. I thought it was a really powerful, beautiful representation of how even one small voice can influence others. And I’m so excited to see what all those little girls do in the future!
What do you think America should do next because the march is just one day?
I think that Americans should remember that we need to pay attention to specific actions and policies that Trump takes–I don’t want us to get lost in the fine print. I hope that Trump proves me wrong, but I think there could be a lot of future instances where there’s a piece of legislature that is unacceptable and should be protested. There might be less people in that demonstration, but I think people should view those as worthwhile.
*Statistics provided by The San Jose Mercury News
