Second Annual Women’s March in Lansing Focused on Getting Women Elected

This year, the focus was on voting and running for office.

Cheyna Roth/MPRN

Thousands of people flooded the state Capitol lawn over the weekend for the second-annual Women’s March.

Last year’s rally theme was mostly resistance against the new Donald Trump presidency. This year, the focus was on voting and running for office.

Most people were there to criticize the Republican party. But some also wanted the Democratic party to examine itself. Myya Jones of Detroit says she wants Michigan’s Democratic Party to be more inclusive. 

“Include black women in the conversation and then we’ll come out and we’ll vote,” says Jones. 

“Because we are the backbone of the Democratic party.”

The rally is a part of the national Women’s March, with events taking place across the U.S.

Aanee Nichols of Grand Rapids works for a non-profit that distributes feminine hygiene products to women in need. 

Cheyna Roth/MPRN

Nichols says she didn’t go to the march last year. She says she was told to give President Trump a chance – but she’s not impressed.

“The way he talks about women and talks about minorities and talks about other countries, that’s not what our country stands for and that’s not what progress means,” said Nichols.

State Rep. Leslie Love (D-Detroit) spoke at a rally before the march officially began.  

“The only way we change the conversation in America, the way we change the conversation in Michigan is by showing up and showing out the way you have done today and it doesn’t stop today it goes all the way to the end to the polls,” says Love.

Multiple marches were scheduled throughout the weekend from Washington D.C on Saturday to the main march in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Cheyna Roth/MPRN

 

Author

  • Cheyna Roth
    Cheyna has interned with Michigan Radio and freelanced for WKAR public radio in Lansing. She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films.