Taking the streets

Half a million people take part in NYC women’s march to give voice to causes

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About 500,000 people marched through Midtown Manhattan Saturday, packing the streets to celebrate women's rights, to make their voices heard and to send a message to the nation's new leader, President Donald Trump. 

The Women's March on New York City was part of a series of demonstrations across the country and around the world, the largest of them in Washington, D.C. In New York, protesters gathered for hours near United Nations headquarters, and speakers rallied the crowd before the march began, at 11 a.m. 

Among the speakers were actresses Cynthia Nixon and Dame Helen Mirren. "We have not gotten rid of our values just because someone new is in the White House," Nixon said. "I was raised by a single mother. She taught me confidence and self-reliance. She also taught me that to make change, you have to pick the one thing you care about most and get to work. When women organize, change happens. Women make the change."

Mirren's message was simple: be proud of who you are wherever you go, and lend your support when you can. "I came by subway to get here to show my support," she said. "Today, I am a New Yorker."

Once the march began, the crowd moved slowly through the East Side of Manhattan on its way to Trump Tower. Protesters carried signs, and many wore pink hats to symbolize unity among women. Many had come to protest Trump's plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act or to express their anger over his comments about women, while others hoped to direct his attention to social justice, civil rights and equality.

One of the many groups that attended was Action Together Long Island. Julia Fenster, the Huntington-based organization's founder and chief organizer, described it as a diverse group that focuses on social issues. "Our group mission or purpose is to help citizens who want to become more socially involved and are concerned with social issues, become more empowered social activists," Fenster said. The ATLI currently has 1,500 members, and 100 marched in Manhattan on Saturday, while another 40 marched in Washington.

Linda Abalamsky, a retired social worker from Port Washington, said she came out with the group to march to celebrate her First Amendment right to do so, and to remind the new administration that that right needs to be protected."Our amendment rights are very important," Abalamsky said. "The press is really important." Referring to several government website pages that were removed from the White House main page since Trump's inauguration, such as those focusing on LGBT issues and climate change, she added, "Let's hope that what they took down on the websites, they put back up. Freedom of speech and expression are vital to this country." 

Marches such as this, Fenster said, are indicative of a need for dialogue - on Long Island as well as across the country. "As Long Islanders, we are divided by how we voted," she said. "We have to work closer to foster communities where diverse voices are heard. We have to get clear that our nation has evolved and prospered because we didn't just 'get over it,' as some Trump supporters like to say. What was status quo in regards to civil rights, women's rights or LGBTQ rights before, we didn't move forward until we worked to achieve them. It came about because of new design, not just getting over it."

Fenster added that what she would remember most about the march was how peaceful the overall vibe was despite the crowds and traffic. "Nobody was upset," she said. "I've lived in the city for 17 years, and never saw anything like it. People in cars being rerouted and stuck in traffic were giving us high-fives as we passed by in the streets. It was a very exciting experience." 

For more information about ATLI, visit their Facebook page at http://www.activismamplified.com.