A march for women
Bethany Blitz Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 2 months AGO
LOREN BENOIT/PressPeople gather for the start of the Spokane Women's March on Spokane Saturday afternoon. An estimated 7,000 people attended the rally and march, one of the dozens that took place across the country.
LOREN BENOIT/PressSally Jackson delivers a speech at the Women's March on Spokane rally Saturday afternoon at the Spokane Convention Center.
Lisa Siri of Coeur d’Alene brought her daughters to the Women’s March on Spokane on Saturday to inspire them to be able to fight for themselves. Siri, who protested for women’s rights when she was her daughters’ age, said she can’t believe she’s still fighting. BETHANY BLITZ/Press
LISA JAMES/ Press Coeur d’Alene residents Phoebe Felker, 17, center, and her mother Cherise Felker, far right, participate in the Women’s March on Spokane Saturday afternoon. The march, which drew an estimated 7,000 participants, was one of hundreds of marches that took place around the world which were organized to show support for women and oppressed groups.
LISA JAMES/ PressEdie McLachlan of Coeur d'Alene waits with her friends for the start of the Women's March on Spokane Saturday afternoon. Edie and her group traveled together from Coeur d'Alene to spread a message of acceptance and unity.
LOREN BENOIT/PressThousands of people march the streets of downtown Spokane Saturday afternoon at Women's March on Spokane.
LOREN BENOIT/PressThousands gather at the entrance of the Spokane Convention Center prior to the beginning of Women's March on Spokane Saturday afternoon.
LOREN BENOIT/PressSpectators watch the Women's March on Spokane from a walkway above the march.
LOREN BENOIT/PressMeg Parka, of Coeur d'Alene, holds a respect sign as she walks next to friends at Women's March on Spokane Saturday afternoon.
BETHANY BLITZ/PressTaylor Bruno, left and her boyfriend Trevor Netson, right, listen to guest speakers at Saturday’s Women’s March on Spokane. “I really want the people in charge to see this,” Bruno said. “I want them to see that all over the country, we won’t tolerate the misogyny and homophobia; we will resist and push back.”
BETHANY BLITZ/PressLisa Siri brought her daughters to the Women’s March on Spokane Saturday. The Coeur d’Alene woman was inspired to take a stand for women’s rights after hearing similar stories to her own from women who have accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault.
BETHANY BLITZ/PressLisa Siri brought her daughters to the Women’s March on Spokane Saturday to inspire them to be able to fight for themselves. Siri protested for women’s rights when she was her daughters’ age said she can’t believe she’s still fighting.
BETHANY BLITZ/PressEmily Kinsella, left, and her sister Kristin Siri, right, traveled from Coeur d’Alene and Osburn, respectively, to participate in the Women’s March on Spokane.
LISA JAMES/ Press"I've been married to a strong woman for 37 years and it's been great" said Chuck Dunlap, who came to the Women's March on Spokane to show his support for all women on Saturday afternoon. Dunlap was one of thousands of men who stood in solidarity with women and oppressed people on Saturday.
LISA JAMES/ PressMarchers stop to climb snow banks and take pictures as marchers pass in front of the Spokane Convention Center during the Women's March on Spokane Saturday afternoon. The march, which drew an estimated 7,000 participants, was one of hundreds of marches that took place around the world.
LISA JAMES/ PressJean Pond and her husband Finn Pond hold up theeir sign outside of the Spokane Convention Center as they wait for the start of the Women's March on Spokane Saturday afternoon. An estimated 7,000 participated in the march, one of hundreds of marches that took place across the world.
LISA JAMES/ PressA baby sleeps as her parents push her along the route of the Women's March on Spokane on Saturday afternoon, one of hundreds of marches that took place across the world. Many participants came to the march as families on Saturday.
LISA JAMES/ PressAnti-Trump signs made a strong showing at the Women's March on Spokane Saturday afternoon. An estimated 7,000 participated in the march, one of hundreds of marches that took place across the world.
SPOKANE — Lisa Siri and her two grown daughters brought their signs to the Spokane Convention Center on Saturday and proudly walked among a sea of strangers to support women and other oppressed groups across the country and around the world.
When a man at a stop light rolled down his window and shouted ‘baby killers’ to her and her daughters, the Coeur d’Alene woman looked him square in the eye and said ‘I love you.’
“It’s important to stand up for what you believe in,” Siri told the Press as she marched on the streets of Spokane with her sign that read ‘I’m in the love army.’ “I’m here for my daughters. I want them to be able to fight for themselves; it’s their world.”
The Women’s March on Spokane was one of several hundred of its kind across the world Saturday where people gathered to show their discontent with Donald Trump’s election and his rhetoric toward women, minorities and immigrants.
The Spokane march drew way more people than was expected — there was no way to calculate official numbers, but local police and event organizers estimate between 8,000 and 10,000 people participated in the march.
Women, men, children and teens came from all over the Inland Northwest to participate.
Many people had homemade, pink “Pussycat” hats that looked like they had cat ears on them. People wore the hats in solidarity with the marchers in Washington, D.C., and to show their support for women’s rights.
Two hours before the actual march, guest speakers rallied at the Spokane Convention Center, speaking about equal rights, being resilient, and the importance of standing up for what you believe in. There were even some Star Wars references mixed in.
Then, thousands of people made their way around a Spokane city block, holding their signs, encouraging each other and cheering as loudly as they could.
Amanda Gallegos, a Coeur d’Alene woman who works with the area’s LGBTQ community, said she wanted lawmakers and politicians everywhere to be watching the march, and the marches all over the world Saturday, so they know people will not tolerate, nor be silent about oppression.
“A lot of people here think this is just an anti-Trump protest, but it’s not,” she said. “It’s women standing up against sexual assault and standing up for the rights of LGBTQ people, people of color, muslims, and for all who have been oppressed.
“It’s so empowering to see all these people here at the same time, fighting for a cause that’s important.”
Trevor Netson attended the march with his girlfriend. The couple just moved to Coeur d’Alene from Boise last summer and wanted to be involved in the community. Netson said he’d rather be out supporting the community than sitting in front of his computer and complaining online.
He also said he was surprised at how little people approached him at the march because he was male.
“I came because I respect women,” he said. “Throughout history, for men, it’s been our job to protect women. Now we have to stand by them and help them here.”
Another group of Coeur d’Alene friends traveled across the Washington border to march together, but all for varying reasons.
One woman attended because she believes the United States is great right now and wanted to speak her opinion about the importance of truth, honor and inclusion. Another woman was inspired by helping to change the local communities around her, in hopes of eventually changing the world for the better.
Christina Oss-LaBang said she didn’t know exactly why she went to march because she never stands up and speaks out. But, “this is one of the best days of my life,” she said.
Her friend, Meg Birak, said she was so upset by the 2016 campaign rhetoric that she had to do something about it.
“There’s so much at stake with this new administration,” she said, adding that the march itself was a wonderful experience. “Everybody’s bringing their heart and soul into this; it’s peaceful and friendly and fantastic.”
There were no reported disturbances during the march Saturday, though one women had to be taken out of the Convention Center in an ambulance because she fainted.
Heather Rhodes, a Coeur d’Alene woman and the event’s volunteer coordinator, said she couldn’t be more happy with how everything panned out.
“There were so many people here and it’s so obvious that they are feeling united, and that’s what we wanted,” she said. “When I stepped out to the march, it brought tears to my eyes; we did this.”
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