Impressions from the March

Throughout my life I've heard of stories of people protesting for what they believe in. From the American colonies boycotting Britain in the 1700's to the civil rights movements of the 60's I learned that one does not need to be famous to have an impact on the world; if you believe something is wrong, go out, vocalize your opinion, and make that change.

This is what happened on Saturday January 21, 2017. Thousands of men, women, and children of all different races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic classes gathered in groups all over the country and even the world to protest for women's rights, partially due to the recent election of Donald Trump and his conservative views. Because of this, there will be a lot of changes in the not so distant future since the government is shifting from a liberal leader. The American people needed to show this new government what we care about and what we want and we did it. The women's march was the largest march in US history, gathering almost 3 million people nationwide. If that does not show Trump what we, as a nation can do, I don't know what will.

Being part of this march was a life-changing event. Walking among thousands of people from all different backgrounds, all fighting for the same cause, is an unforgettable feeling. Around me I could hear enthusiastic chants that united this massive group of strangers into a cohesive body. While marching, I was astounded by the amount of people that showed up.

When I returned home that afternoon, I saw what the rest of the United States and world had achieved, causing me to feel even prouder of myself for being part of such a historic day.

Patti Smith's song, "The People Have the Power" truly encompasses the essence of the march. The song reads:

The power to dream, to rule
To wrestle the earth from fools
But it's decreed the people rule
But it's decreed the people rule
Listen, I believe everythin' we dream
Can come to pass through our union
We can turn the world around
We can turn the earth's revolution
We have the power

The march started off as an idea; a dream. Together we were able to turn that dream into a reality and set a strong tone for how the next four years will be; We will fight back. We won't sit around doing nothing. We will actively fight against the system to make a change for the better.

Photos and text by SHS Alternative School Junior Sam Blieden.