More than 50 St. Lawrence students took a bus to Washington, D.C., for the third Women’s March earlier this month. Bailey Sherwin ’19 decided to organize this trip after attending the first Women’s March two years ago with another SLU group. Participating in the march was “empowering and motivating,” Sherwin said, “and it’s important to have representation from SLU there.”
The Women’s March is an activist organization that began after the 2016 presidential election, with a mission of “harnessing political power” and creating “transformative social change.” For the past three years, the group has organized marches in mid January that are held all over the country in cities like New York, Boston, Washington, D.C. and even smaller communities.
The SLU group slept at a church in Bethesda, right outside of D.C.. Marina Pearce ’19, another trip leader, organized these arrangements. The group departed Canton Friday morning and planned on returning after the march on Saturday. However, they had to stay an extra night in the church due to a snowstorm. The students returned to campus late Sunday night, tired, but happy and proud.
Controversy has clouded the Women’s March organization in the months leading up to the event. According to The New York Times, one of the original organizers of the march felt she was “pushed out” of the group due to her Jewish heritage.
Another organizer was criticized for attending an event with Louis Farrakhan, who has made well-known anti-semitic statements. There was some student concern about these accusations of anti-semitism, but SLU attendees observed no evidence of discrimination at the DC march.
SLU students all had different reasons for attending the march. Many trained Advocates marched to bring attention to sexual assault. Many were also there for the people who could not attend, like friends who had been discriminated against but did not feel comfortable speaking for themselves. Justin Boyce ’22, said he had “responsibility to support [the march] because I’m in a position where it takes little effort to do that.” Others felt it was important to speak out and take specific action. The most common reason for student activism was their concern for equal rights for all people.
Sherwin and her sister, Carley Sherwin ’22, had advice for SLU students who want to plan similar activist trips. They encourage people to show passion for their causes and try to spark as much interest from other students as possible.
Even though the students were marching in D.C., many felt the issues addressed at the march were also relevant at SLU. Marchers want to see more male representation in feminist groups at school, as well as making sure people are comfortable with themselves.
Despite the snow storm, the SLU trip to the march was a success. “I felt overwhelming empowerment” at the march, Nicole WIlliams ’19 said. “I felt so much support from everyone.”