 Interviews conducted and compiled by:  The Women’s March on Washington was an historical event that brought together many men, women, and non-binary folks of all ages, shapes, sizes, races, ethnicities, sexualities, gender-identities, abilities and more. As an organization, Art for Ourselves honors the potential this march had and has to make each marcher’s feminism more inclusive, more intersectional, and less complacent. We honor the eventual leaders of the march, fierce femmes of color, Tamika D. Mallory, Carmen Perez, and Linda Sarsour and their work. We also honor those who were excluded and silenced by the march and its organizers at any point--femmes of color and trans folks before the march leadership was passed on from white women to women of color, sex workers who were removed from the organization’s policy platform and eventually added back in, disabled folks who were omitted from many parts of the march’s platform and later recognized publicly by the national team. We honor those who chose not to march as a result of this exclusion and the history of feminist movements that exclude those who exist outside of the able-bodied, cis, heterosexual, white woman binary. We honor those who were unable to march due to physical or mental illness, work commitments, or any other reason. We also honor those who could march and chose to march, and hope each individual was and continues to be guided by Audre Lorde’s words: “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own” (and we would add to woman: man or non-binary person). With so much critique and praise swirling around the internet, dinner tables, cafés, buses, and streets, we wanted to provide a platform for a diverse group of voices to reflect publicly on their experiences, thoughts, and feels around the historic Women’s March on Washington. The following are excerpts from interviews with folks who did march, folks who could not march, and folks who chose not to march. If you would like to contribute your own voice, please send a request for the full list of questions through our contributor page. Teresa Nguyen (They/Them/Theirs)What would your sign have said? I don't know if I would have had a sign for this march. I would probably have a backpack full of snacks and beverages, and a quick emergency first aid kit if things got volatile during the demonstration. What was the best sign you saw (through reporting or social media)? What sign did you wish you had seen? There were a few. Since I was watching the march through social media on a national level, the ones that stuck out were:
 What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? Every demonstration/teach in/etc showing up for Black, Brown, and Muslim solidarity, queer and trans people of color, Indigenous solidarity, undocumented folx, immigrant folx, prison abolition, police abolition, the housing crisis, disrupting the school to prison pipeline...the usual. Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while watching the marches and/or seeing social media posts about or coverage of the marches? 1. Constant worry over the safety of my communities and whether or not they were safe at the march, trying to live their lives if they didn't attend the march, wondering what everyone was doing for self care/self preservation... 2. Every QT/POC who has spoken up in resistance to the march and critiques about the waves of white feminism permeating throughout were shamed, shut down, or removed entirely. And that is unacceptable. 3. This march does not represent me. What do you want each of the 4 million marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? That I don't have time to hold white feelings, because there is still a huge surge of freak outs over rights and privileges being threatened, and as a queer POC I want to ask, "Where were you this whole time?" If they (white people) want to be part of the resistance, join an org that they can participate in, process with their fellow white people because POC are NOT here for their emotional labor. For so many communities of color, we just call this Tuesday. This threat to our integrity/humanity/living on a regular basis isn't news. We have power as a collective people, and we have the agency to use it strategically and successfully if done right. My experiences as a working class mixed Viet-American genderqueer person already tell me that I don't have much stacked in my favor. But I DO still have privileges as an able-bodied, "eloquent" (barf), Model Minority Myth seeming, femme presenting person that makes me palatable to white folks. So I teach workshops and help run conferences and summits. I've put myself in a position of being very resourceful and heavily invested in networking. So if you need someone/something, I can either find that person or find someone who knows someone. And that's a reflection of one of many survival strategies I've developed over the years. What is one thing you learned from the march and its coverage? That we still have a long way to go, but it looks like some folks are having a light bulb moment, and that's what we need. You mad? Great. Use it. Tap in and use every privilege you have to give a platform to those who keep getting it taken away from, and then step back to move on to the next thing you can interrupt. Don't wait for a thank you or some kind of cookie, because then that's ally theatre. If the movement is not intersectional, then you cannot call it a movement. AnonymousWhat do you want your fellow marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? TW: abuse, assault, PTSD Early on Election Day, I felt relief. I believed that the months-long media barrage of a candidate's assaults and abuse was nearing its end. The days of avoiding his photograph and the sound of his voice would recede, and I could wake up the following morning with the underwhelming feeling of electing another Clinton. Instead, I spent that night and the next morning in the most profound PTSD daze of my life. Years prior, when I ended an abusive relationship, I found safety in distance. On election night and in the days that followed, it felt like I couldn't escape. Months of denial interspersed with dull panic passed by, and I still couldn't come to terms with what had happened. I decided to attend the Women's March because I wanted closure, the kind that is empowered and galvanizing. The horror of the election wasn't just the candidate-perpetrator but the millions of people who enabled his rise to power, so being one of many in the streets was perhaps what I needed. But the march didn't feel empowering. Again in a PTSD daze, I made it through, but without much feeling or embodiment beyond hypervigilance. The march was filled with symbols of abuse and assault. Much of the iconography and language of the March relied heavily on reclaiming, on taking back, so I marched surrounded by reminders of violence. I was triggered the whole time. I am still learning about reclamation. I am still understanding its power and its limits. Since I first began healing from PTSD eight years ago, I've found power over and over again in choosing to leave. Saying not today, not like that, not here. Creating my own spaces. As I marched, and again right now, I am occupied by questions of reclamation. When is it necessary to create a space that is all me, all us? To embody a mode of living and healing that is on our own terms? And when is it necessary to reclaim or take back... and who might that leave behind? Angela Lemus-Mogrovejo (she/her/hers)What would your sign have said? I believe my sign would have fallen under the general "No human being is illegal" type. Or i would have found some way of writing a sign saying "Walls have no place in care and human decency" What was the best sign you saw (through reporting or social media)? What sign did you wish you had seen? The best sign I saw overall was a sign by a black feminist woman indicating a majority of white women voted for Trump to be in office. In my eyes, I wish I had seen more signs focusing on trans women, disabled women, and women who weren’t reputable or people held up as signs of acceptable womanhood (ex. white, cis, straight, employed, non-disabled women). I wanted more to be said about nasty women being worth defending in a way that didn’t just feel like supporting cruel, rude white women who often just want the ability to be like white men rather than destroying patriarchy and capitalism. What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? I wish I could feel more assured that many people who attended the event were also the same people who attended Black lives matters, No DAPL, or just pro immigrant rights rallies. However, I do not feel any sense that that is the case. I hope that, in the future, more will show up to defend those being affected by the immigration ban in effect now, Black Lives Matters rallies, and in any indigenous organizer events that are likely to occur as more attention is being taken off NoDAPL and the indigenous groups living right along the proposed Mexico wall. Who do you resist for? I resist for all the other trans and disabled women (of color) who do not have the strength, time, or courage to do so. I write and I fight for the sake of my mother who has long lived in this country with care and support for me despite all the abuses its citizens and institutions have inflicted on her. And I resist so that my niece and nephew will have a somewhat better world to grow up in, despite the now limited interactions I now have with them due to transphobic family members. Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while watching the marches and/or seeing social media posts about or coverage of the marches? I felt a sense of pride that, as limited as the political goals of the Women's March seemed to be, it provided a remarkable starting point for many people to protest. It felt like a wonderful occasion to witness intergenerational activism occur and to see people of various ages and backgrounds talk with and learn from one another. If only for a little while. And lastly, I felt a sense of mixed rage and sadness that, as much as I believe many of the women there cared about fighting Trump, many didn’t care about how horrible US government institutions are until an open bigot came into office. What do you want each of the 4 million marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? I want people to know that, as much I want to make room for believing that they all care about not having the country go to shit, I feel angry and sad. I feel angry that so many people only cared when white, cis women came under attack and saddened that many will stop caring after this point. I say this not as a matter of speculation but as a matter of fact. I know so many people will never care about politics about this point because it is no longer fun to think some people are worried about rent, their health, or about making it past the next day without suicide. None of these are fun thoughts but they are ones I need these marchers to be willing to face. Because they are mine. They are with me very often. I am a disabled trans woman of color who I know doesn’t pass well in a lot of spaces. Regardless of my ability to do so, however, I need these marchers to know I must keep fighting. I must keep fighting for those like me and those even worse than me. Because regardless of my criminal background, employment or documentation status, sexual orientation or gender identity, range of ability, or my overall ability to be productive in life, I deserve to be cared for. I deserve to be fought for and to have resources. I deserve to be a valued and worthwhile woman/person to defend. What is one thing you learned from the march and its coverage? I have learned from these marches that it is remarkably easy to organize (cis, white, straight, wealthier) women to care about politics if you focus on respectable genitalia. As crude as that is to say, it feels embarrassingly apt and I wish very much that that wasn't the case. Rachel Rose (she/her/hers)What would your sign have said? I do not know. There is too much to say, and no sign would accurately express my feelings. What was the best sign you saw (through reporting or social media)? What sign did you wish you had seen? Two of the best signs I saw on IG were:
 Who do you resist for? I resist for my sisters, my mom, my niece AND nephews, my aunts, grandmothers, and all my ancestors who fought throughout their lives to find a way to survive and thrive. I resist for my maternal grandma who was physically and sexually abused, and her sisters who all worked in a sewing factory creating pieces of clothing for .5 cents each. I resist for myself and all chicanxs, and chingonas, who were told that they didn’t matter or to stay in their place. I resist for all the queer chicanx youth who are too afraid to come out, or grew up in families that considered anything other than heterosexuality as sin. I resist for everyone who doesn’t exist within the gender binary, who just want to wear what they want, look how they want, and be who they are and want. I resist for all the little girls who were told to shave their legs in elementary school, to hide their periods, and protect their virginity. I resist for all the people who have had and continue to have their land stolen from them, and their people hunted and killed. I resist for all Muslims who have been painted as the enemy. I resist for everyone who crossed the border, walked through the desert and mountains in the dark, alone, without proper clothing, food or water, and looking for something better than what they left behind. I resist for all the black lives that have been taken by the hands of the oppressor. I resist for anyone who is not able-bodied or chronically ill, and considered less than. And lastly, I resist for all men who were told to hide their femininity and emotions in order to not be seen as weak. Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while watching the marches and/or seeing social media posts about or coverage of the marches? Part of me did want to march and be out with other people who were also hurting and angry, but did not feel that I had the emotional or mental capacity to put myself in that type of environment. So I kept thinking about the actual purpose of the march. How did the march help me and my people? How did all the womxn wearing pussy hats stand up for me? Did they march with me in mind? And how could many people only march for specific people? For example, marching for only for those they supported like, pro-life womxn. I was angry that it was so focused on “pussies” and PINK pussies at that. I felt it was extremely exclusionary to anyone who is not white or cisgender. Pussies come in all different colors and not all womxn have pussies. I was curious if of the 4 million people that took to the streets to express their disdain and anger around what is happening, if anyone of them have actually asked people directly affected how they can support and advocate for them. What do you want each of the 4 million marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? I would like all cis-hetero-yt people to know that it is NOT at all comforting or helpful to be told “you matter” in response to legislation or anything coming out of the White House currently. I don’t need to be told I matter, I know I matter, and being reminded of that by someone who directly benefits from the system working against me, is painful and nauseating. I am proud of who I am. I am proud of my brown skin, the dark brown hair that covers and protects my body, my queer and chicanx identity. In spite of being born into a world that actively disenfranchises me and my people, here I am, surviving, thriving. Being brown, having a vagina, and being queer is difficult as fuck. But I would never choose to be anything different and I will never let anyone tell me I do not belong or deserve less. It hurts to be different right now, but through this pain and struggle, I know I am paving the way for future generations to be empowered and armed to also survive and thrive. My people have existed on this land for centuries, long before any “settlers” arrived, and my people will exist on this land for centuries to come. We are not going anywhere. I am not going anywhere. Angélica Maria Millán LozanoI marched for the Portland Women’s Against Hate March in December but did not march for the most recent one that went global (I was pretty upset I couldn’t make it). What did your sign say? My sign said “Emancipadas Reinas, Jefas de Nuetras Patria” in Spanish, which reads “Emancipated Queens, Chiefs of our Land” in English What was the best sign you saw? What sign did you you wish you had seen? One of my favorite sings read: “Brown Immigrant queer over here” (something like it) I wish I would have seen more signs about immigration What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? I definitely want more marchers to attend in the future. Dismantling the patriarchy is not a one-time thing, it’s more daily practice where women’s labor is honored. Where we create spaces for women to speak, where take loads off their shoulders. Where we don’t undermine their needs. Who did you march for? I marched for myself, for my grandma, my mother, my aunts, and all the other marginalized immigrant women who don’t see themselves reflected in mainstream feminism Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while marching? I felt empowered and hyped by being surrounded by so many people. I also felt that the march was mainly by and for white women, which bothered me but gave me more urgency to be there. I also thought the march wasn’t enough. More action needs to take place. What do you want your fellow marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? I want them to know that I am a proud Colombian immigrant who is pursuing art and has a future within it. I want them to know I am here for marginalized voices not privileged ones. That this land is stolen and made of immigrants who have equal rights to it. That I won’t shut up about intersectionality until women of color and treated the same as their white counter parts. I want them to know that feminism isn’t a westernized idea. I want them to honor domestic labor, not shame it. Domestic labor is imperative for the progress of our society. What is one thing you learned at the march? That mainstream feminism still has a long way to go to be intersectional. Heldáy de la Cruz (he/him/his)What did your sign say? “THIS BAD HOMBRE SAYS FUCK YOUR WALL” What was the best sign you saw? What sign did you wish you had seen? There were so many creative signs! One underwhelming one that made me laugh read, “It’s 2017 and we’re still protesting for women’s rights, lgbt rights, immigrants. So sad!" What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? I’ve chosen Standing Rock to give a lot of my attention to. Whatever folks want to get into, there are plenty of things to fight for. Black Lives Matter, Standing Rock, Immigration, Women’s Rights, LGBTQIA Rights. All of them! Who did you march for? I marched for the queer latinxs. My rights are threatened as a gay man, and I am simultaneously being insulted by Trump and Trump supporters for being Mexican with demonizing and hateful speech. Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while marching? I thought about this revolution that is in the air. I thought about my community and how safe I feel here. I thought about being a part of the right side of history. What do you want your fellow marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? I am an undocumented, queer, brown person. I am on DACA and fear for my time in the United States. I am afraid of my rights being taken away to marry the person I love. I am scared to be a target for the color of my skin. There is a lot of fear right now, times are insane and it feels like we are in an alternate reality. But the resistance is strong, you can smell the revolution in the air. You can hear it in the crowds. What is one thing you learned at the march? Bring an umbrella or solid raincoat. No, but in all seriousness, I learned just how supportive Portland is as a whole. Mack Carlisle (They/Them/Theirs)Tell us one thought you had or feelings you felt about the Women’s March? All-in-all, the march was impressive, if for no other reason than the numbers involved, which sent a clear message to the world that millions of people in the US do not support DT. But there were aspects that didn't sit well with me. Some people I know used the march to push their own agenda. Their "protest sign" was their logo. No message. Just logo. They were advertising their organization and they were proud of it (posted it all over social media). And while they were a "women's" organization at a "women's" march, and they take a somewhat intersectional stance (they're selective about queer folks, accepting trans women, but leaving agender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people out of the picture), none of that matters because their sign was nothing but a logo: a logo without a protest statement. People shouldn't have to Google a protest sign to understand it. And if they only come up with an organization, they shouldn't have to dig deeper and find the mission statement to intuit the relevance. I'm sure they weren't the only people exploiting the march (hello corporations such as Southwest changing their cabin lighting to pink, but not actually offering free tickets to people going to protests) and likely won't be the last. I honestly think their group is just naive and didn't think about what they were doing. It was brought up to them directly, but they were defensively dismissive. Perhaps next time they'll consider what a protest is really for and what clear visibility of message really means and why it matters. What was the best sign you saw? My favorite sign was the one a little little kid had: I ❤️ naps, but I stay woke. What would your sign have said? I couldn't attend the march for a variety of reasons but wanted to. I saw a lot of inspiring signs online. I'm not sure what my sign would have said. I don't identify as a woman, so probably nothing overly gender centric. I've been really disgusted with the self-serving interests of White feminism. Maybe something reminding people to pay attention to the subtle changes during this new authoritarian regime. What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? I was at a Black Lives Matter march a while back, and it'd be nice to see Women's March numbers show up for people of color. I understand when people can't go, whether it's for physical, financial, or emotional reasons, but it's way beyond disappointing to know that hundreds of thousands of the people who aren't there just don't care enough to bother. It'd also be nice to see the police and media treat all protests fairly. The idea that this march was uniquely peaceful is a White feminist narrative that intentionally ignores the countless equally peaceful protests for Queer rights, Black lives, and other issues. Rachel Bollens (she/her/hers)What did your sign say? Side one: White silence - inaction - complacency is violence Side two: Our bodies, our brains, our beliefs, our love, our voices, our power What were the best signs you saw?
What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? Well, at the march in Washington D.C., I wish all the marchers had staged a sit-in at the White House, demanding a release of Trump’s tax returns and full divestment from his companies. I think the police would have let the crowd occupy the space, rather than create the specter of inflicting forcible harm on a bunch of white women (in pink hats). My hope is that he would choose $$ over the presidency. With a more fluid time frame, I wish all 4 million marchers had shown up in their last 8 local elections to vote and protested the murders of black and Native American bodies. Who did you march for? I marched for my grandmother Gloria Bollens who was the most loving person I have known. Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while marching? 1. We should be singing. We need to get in touch with something bigger than our individual reasons for being here. 2. There are a lot of white people here. I am glad they are listening to women of color call for more listening to women of color. Will they? 3. This energy needs direction, and should have had it for this day of mass gathering and attention. Conniving, tactical, strategic direction is needed to counteract the evil (patriarchal, white supremacist, greedy greedy) forces directing our government and economy right now. What is one thing you learned at the march? I learned how hard it is for many men to step down (even really kind ones!) I learned how much we have to learn from women of an older generation, but how we need to be creative with the way in which we apply those lessons. Many of them were radical and bold as hell for their time; we have to think about where we want to go and the forces at play today, rather than simply expecting to be able to duplicate their actions and see similar results. Women are really funny and creative and I want the signs to pop up in my life all the time. Spaces of creative and (positively and negatively) energetic resistance are imperative right now. It felt so good, like this weight off my shoulders to see so many of my thoughts and emotions reflected by those around me. This also scares me though, because that resonance could lead to a sense of resolution, when what we need is a catapult to bold and sustained action. Anna Vo (they/them/theirs)What would your sign have said? "SHOW UP EVERYDAY" What was the best sign you saw (through reporting or social media)? What sign did you wish you had seen? I only saw one sign - it was an API child holding up her sign which was a multi-colored scribble. It reflected what I would imagine the message of a Women's March to be - equality and empowerment of all individuals, advocacy for children, young people, and other marginalized folks or populations whose voices are not being valued in today's societal structures. What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? Black Lives Matter marches. Organize their own ways of supporting and fundraising for folks and organizations that are under risk due to the Trump administration. Read and educate themselves about native land rights and culture. Understand what racist, microaggressive or appropriative behaviors look like and to stop them if they are a part of their lives. Understand local racist history. Understand the mechanics of gentrification, displacement and corporate takeovers caused by corporations like New Seasons. Listen to their neighbors and friends and clients if they are poor, disabled, elderly, disadvantaged or marginalized in some way. Share and give your time, resources, and power. Step back from the center. Who do you resist for? Resistance isn't a decision, it's a response to the current state of things. The systemic oppression and exploitation of large groups of people for the sake of colonization and profit. I'll stop resisting when people stop thinking in terms of rewards and wealth acquisition and start to understand collective action, cooperation and mutual aid. When people understand that the earth is not just a resource to be drained, but an organism that demands respect, honor and symbiosis. When people and entire ethnic groups are not locked up or controlled. When people think in terms of working together to achieve common goals that assist us all, rather than individual benefits that may or may not cause to others suppression or suffering. Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while watching the marches and/or seeing social media posts about or coverage of the marches? I am glad that so many people felt empowered and inspired to participate, I inwardly groaned at the anticipation of a lack of further and deeper engagement with current injustices - I did not march because I was worried I would be exposed to racism, or general racist microaggressions. I also did not want to be exposed to ineffectual white liberalism and people reducing the desperate political conditions to a two-party race, and Hilary as some magical solution to very, very entrenched problems. It was unclear where the role of non-binary folk lies in a "Women's March". I intentionally did not engage with or listen to social media mentions or media coverage of the marches. I feel that media often is misguided in focusing on details that are not important or pertinent to the underlying issues that cause the need for a march in the first place. What do you want each of the 4 million marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? I fight for power and liberation to all those oppressed by their conditions. What is one thing you learned from the march and its coverage? That the egos of one or few can derail or divide an entire movement that should generally be celebrated in the name of solidarity. That there are no heroes, and it certainly shouldn't just be a publicity circus for people to consume. Bati Alon (they/them)What was the best sign you saw? What sign did you wish you had seen? There are three that come to mind:
There are no signs I wish I had seen, but I want to mention another sign I saw at the inauguration protest, held by a group of young white men. It said ‘Donald Trump sits when he pees.’ It made me feel that I was surrounded in part by those I couldn’t trust, who would use normalized oppressive rhetoric about my body for the entertainment of their friends. Don’t show up if you equate having to sit while you pee (aka vaginas aka cis perception of women) with weakness and shame. Your glib sign is violent. What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? Everything, anything. Not everyone needs to get on the front lines and go to jail to be an active part of these growing protests. Come to jail support. Work or volunteer at Planned Parenthood. Organize/attend classes in self-defense, basic medic training, basic protest and arrest law. Teach children consent and autonomy. Find reading groups and revolutionary text to share. Find a way to transform what you are good at and passionate about into resistance in everyday life. Share your resources, manipulate and utilize your privilege to protect those who bodies are more in danger than yours. Show up! Who did you march for? At the Women’s March, for young queers, femmes, people of color, who are fantastic and afraid. Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while marching? I had moments of;
What do you want your fellow marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? My dad was born in Israel, and my mom comes from Jews who emigrated from Eastern Europe into the American depression. Because of fascist violence perpetrated directly against members of my family on both sides, my lineage has been uprooted. They isolated us, and instilled trauma that passes through into me. This week alone has taught me that the more people show up, the safer and more effective we are. If we don’t make change right now, it WILL get worse and it WILL affect every one of us violently. Fear cuts us down, and the most valuable tools we have are our fellow protesters and revolutionary texts. What is one thing you learned at the march? The contrast in police reactions from the Inauguration Day protest vs. the Women’s March solidified where the Portland Police Department Chief Marshman and Mayor Ted Wheeler have decided to align themselves in this fight. Against us, and alongside a growing fascist regime. It made me more certain and less afraid to dedicate time and body during this time. Emily Gritzmacher (she/her or they/them)What did your sign say? There were two sides to my sign. One: “Empathy Over Ego.” The other: “I <3 My Neighbors Next door, In prisons, & Across Borders.” What was the best sign you saw? What sign did you wish you had seen? I don’t remember enough to have a favorite, but I did appreciate “We will not rest while others are oppressed.” I appreciate the power and energy some women and non-women alike feel in reclaiming the word “pussy,” in addition to otherwise expressing ownership of their bodies, but I wish there had been more signs recognizing that not all women have vulvas, vaginas, or breasts. In general, I wish there’d been more recognition of transgender identities. What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? Climate change is occurring rapidly with deadly consequences for humans and animals worldwide. Perhaps most seriously and presently, island communities at risk of being lost to rising sea levels. I want people to show up in major ways for renewable energy. I want them to show up for tribal sovereignty (and environmental health) by opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline. Who did you march for? Who didn’t I march for? I marched for prisoners and their families, people of all genders—particularly transgender and cisgender women, and nonbinary folks—, communities of color, immigrants, and our international neighbors. Is that too general? That’s a broad answer, but it’s the truth. I marched for compassion, mutual respect, intelligent and thoughtful critical discourse, and evidence-based policies. Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while marching? 1) I thought about who was present at the march, who wasn’t, and why, particularly in regards to race. It took me weeks to decide whether to march, primarily because national women’s movements have historically skewed towards the interests of white women and neglected the voices and needs of women of color, as well as LGBTQ communities. As many people know, the Women’s March had some of these struggles too. 2) I had some gender dysphoria. I’m nonbinary, but as someone assigned female at birth yet perceived to be a woman by nearly every person I encounter, I often feel invisible. At an event with “Women’s” in the name, this was definitely the case. I advocate for women and gender quality every day, but I’ll admit that sometimes it hurts a little to do this and not have my own gender be recognized. 3) I was amazed at how large the demonstration was. The bridge I crossed to reach the march was packed and it wasn’t even on the route. What do you want your fellow marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? I’m queer, trans, white, deeply uncomfortable with white settler colonialism and heteropatriarchy, yet humbled by the opportunity to grow into my identities and learn how to show up for others. What a gift to be able to learn how to check my own biases and blindspots. What a gift and a responsibility to fight for equality. Flynne Olivarez (she/her/hers)What did your sign say? My sign was two-sided. One side, said, Marchando con el espiritu de mis abuelas, and the other said, a woman's place is in the revolution. What was the best sign you saw? What sign did you you wish you had seen? It's incredibly hard to remember all the signs and pick a favorite. I can say that I was excited at the amount of signs that acknowledged intersectionality as an essential piece to a movement. I think this is a vital piece to challenging most, if not all, oppression we face in a white supremacist society and I have found it detrimental to continue to challenge people who voice this with the criticism of being "divisive." I also appreciate signs that actually called out white supremacy, as it needs to be named, and some folks still have a hard time with that. I definitely left the march that day thinking, damn, Portland has sign game. What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? Any work with Black Lives Matter, the water crisis in Flint, Standing Rock, Queer/Trans health Who did you march for? I marched for everyone really. However, as I wrestled with the idea of even going, I realized how important it was for me to march for my grandmothers. I was fortunate enough to grow up with the both of them as a child, and they were fierce as hell. My mom and dad have also always shared stories of how fierce they were as parents. They were direct, take-no-bullshit Mexican ladies, and if they were alive/able to, I know they would have been out there marching. I also marched for my mom and other bold matriarchs in my family, as well as all my friends that continue to inspire and embolden me. I also marched for my friends who did not feel inspired to do so themselves, as I support them in their decisions. Tell us three thoughts you had or feelings you felt while marching? I felt incredibly blessed to be there with my friends, hugging and laughing and chanting and dancing to beyonce while we stood in wet crowds at the waterfront. I felt in awe of how many people showed up despite the weather conditions. I also started to feel really scared. As I marched while I was in awe, I also felt myself slipping into having visuals of dystopian novels I've read, wondering, how many of these people are going to continue to show up and be visible when things aren't paid for or sanctioned by the police. The march was great and I'm grateful it happened, but there was a permit paid for, toilets purchased and cooperation from the police in order for it to make it happen. It was also a pretty short route. I just wonder who will continue to show up and stand up, when being visible and cultivating solidarity isn't so "easy." What do you want your fellow marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? That I care a whole hell of a lot, and am willing to do so much. And that I also get exhausted and really need to work on my self care. That I've been a youth worker for a decade and a half. That I'm making a career change to get into the healing arts so that I can help to heal people in my community when shit gets real fucked, because it has been and will continue to be. That I am constantly evaluating myself and how I am doing and keeping myself in check as best I can as to be open and compassionate to as many people as possible, even when I feel threatened. That I love to laugh and share food with people as much as I like to do intense community/organizing/political work. What is one thing you learned at the march? I'm not really sure, other than people in Portland showed up that day. I did a lot more wondering than learning I think. But wondering, can lead to learning, I suppose.... Jenny Forrester (she/her/hers)What did your sign say? Black Lives Matter What action do you wish the 4 million other marchers had attended in the past or do you want them to attend in the future? I'd love for every liberal leaning white person to get out and meet people at these marches and parades and gatherings and outright un-permitted protests and talk and listen and learn and carry signs and put themselves on social media and in front of police and learn to follow and take directions from People of Color. It is devastating that it took a game show host with a cold heart and a deeply brutal worldview- a man that people like me thought we could ignore until his running for president, that it took such an utterly gross event as this. I wish it hadn't. There was enough evil out in the open and known that it didn't need to take this. But. A lot of things I wish. So much disappointment. Beyond disappointment to a word I don't have. I'd like 4 million to show up for Black, Brown, and Indigenous Lives and for the earth and for the destruction of the prison industrial complex and the fossil fuel industry, too. For standing up for water. And the thing is many people did show up for all of that. That's also true. I wish it were truer, though. Who did you march for? Myself, for sure and for the future where we win once and for all- a reforming revisioning return for all hearts and minds and for a system/anti-system that serves all and not at the expense of the many or of the few. For the belief that protest is moral and that we have to claim and reclaim and inhabit and usurp protest as a part of resistance as a whole. Even when we are unworthy and maybe especially then. Because most of us are unworthy but we're human beings. We have to erase the idea that human dignity and basic rights are tied to some kind of worthiness. You know. We all know this. We have to look out for each other against the machines and monsters. What do you want your fellow marchers to know about you, your experiences, your histories, resilience, and power? I had to learn Resilience. As opposed to defensiveness and fragility to hear the right things. And. I Keep learning. It's a gift I was born sensitive. It didn't used to be a gift. Patriarchy doesn't appreciate sensitivity. It worships toughness and shame and requires it, too. An awful mix and mindfuck. This learning isn't a superficial thing. And it isn't a choice. It saves lives. And our not learning costs lives. And it's why Voldemort is president and etcetera. I also want liberals and progressives to remember how much work has been done in every generation and that none of this is new. There are newer tactics and technologies including the developments in language and understanding. But so much has been done.
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