LIU Post Students Attend NY Women’s March

On Saturday, Jan 21, two Freshman from LIU Post other students in a joining a march of over 400,000 individuals in New York City. Anna Gwaltney and Samantha Resnick, both freshman musical theatre majors participated in the march, waved signs and chanted for what they both called “a very important cause”.

“I went to the march because there’s a lot happening right now in the political spectrum that we can’t control, so we protested,” Gwaltney said. “The protest was to educate people and help lawmakers understand that their actions affect women and girls throughout many generations.”

The New York City women’s march was one of several women’s marches that took place around the country on January 21. An estimated 700,000 participated in the march in Los Angeles, the LA march was the largest of all women’s marches this past weekend. According to Womensmarch.com, a major organizer of the marches, 444 women’s marches have taken place since the inauguration of President Trump.

“It was more intersectional than people think. Even though it was a women’s march it was a protest for the rights of all,” Resnick said. “It was a huge statement on many things that people are trying to ignore, for example they say contraception should not be covered by insurance but that would box many out of having contraceptives,” she added. Resnick said the goal of the march “was asking for respect”.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio applauded the marches leadership and the New York Police Department “A big thank you to the organizers and the men and women of the NYPD for keeping 400,000 New Yorkers safe during today’s #WomensMarchNYC.” Chirlane McCray, wife of de Blasio, spoke at the NYC march emphasizing that “New York is the birthplace of the women’s movement. The home of the women’s rights movement. And that will never change.”

Gwaltney and Resnick had spirited responses about what the march accomplished. “I think a big part of the march was to show that we are united and are going to fight for each other,” Resnick said. Gwaltney added “it was successful in showing the US lawmakers that we are watching”.