DC or Bust: Columbus Joins Women’s March on Washington
Photo from the Nov. 21st March on Ohio’s Statehouse
DC or Bust: Columbus Joins Women’s March on Washington
by Jenny Bryant
Reproductive freedom. Racial justice. Environmental concerns. Immigrants’ rights. Taking a stand against sexism, homophobia, and Islamophobia.
These are just a few of the reasons why Ohioans are joining the Women’s March on Washington this weekend.
The Women’s March on Washington has been misconstrued by some critics as a show of poor sportsmanship, the equivalent of a large-scale millennial temper tantrum because the Democrats lost the election. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The purpose of the march is to unite people from across the country in a show of support for the groups most threatened by the election and to send a clear message to the incoming administration that women’s rights are human rights. The national organizers of the march have emphasized that Donald Trump is a symptom of a larger issue in society. The undercurrent of bigotry and fear on display during this election cycle is nothing new in our country; it’s up to citizens to band together and stand up for what’s right, and for each other. Organizing is the first step in working together to ensure that the threats and rhetoric of the election aren’t passed into law.
On Saturday, in what is expected to be the largest inaugural demonstration ever, thousands of people will take to the streets of DC. Rhiannon Childs is one of them.
“As an African-American woman, this is so important to me,” Childs says. “When we look at the civil rights movement and the feminist movement, women almost had to choose between race and gender. This march gives us a platform where we can talk about how race and gender intersect.”
Childs, who lives in Columbus, is one of the local women responsible for coordinating bus transportation for Columbus residents to the march. This grassroots effort is the result of collaboration between Childs and Lindsey Shriver, another Columbus resident. With little time to plan or secure sponsorship from local businesses, Childs and Shriver jumped right in, rolled up their sleeves, and got to work. “Sometimes [you] can’t plan; sometimes you just have to take a stand,” she explained. Word spread, and an estimated 5,000 people will be traveling from Ohio to DC this weekend by bus. Tickets sold out quickly; financial assistance was also provided for those with limited income who want to be there. Other Columbus residents are planning to drive or fly in separately, so it’s safe to say that our city will be well represented on Saturday.
The Ohio Sister March, which took place in downtown Columbus January 15th to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and attracted about 1500 people, was also coordinated by Childs and Shriver. The Sister March included a send-off for those who are headed to DC. During a “pinning ceremony,” attendees at the Sister March wrote their reasons for marching on paper, which they pinned to the backs of those who are going to Washington. Attendees represented a diverse group of residents with a common goal: to unite in the face of divisiveness.
The local and national marches have served to bring people together, but as Childs says, “We don’t plan on ending things here.” Childs cited Ohio’s incredibly strict abortion laws as one important reason for organizing at the local as well as national level. Social justice reform, healthcare equity, and gun control are other issues that are at the forefront of concerns. She and others have spoken with some state representatives, who have offered their support. “I hope they hear it loud and clear: This is what we want from leaders in our community.”
For Childs, this march is particularly meaningful. In 1983, at the age of four, she traveled to the March on Washington with her mother, an advocate for civil rights. Her mother also helped to organize bus transportation for the 1983 march, so Childs is carrying on a legacy of activism. “Women of color are pillars to our family and we hold a lot of responsibility; we truly need to come on board. People are finally open and willing to listen.” Childs cited concerns for her 19-year-old son as one important reason that she’s marching: “He’s a college student and a good kid, and I don’t want him to be afraid.”
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