Dallas Women’s March: A Perspective

“Say It Loud! Say It Clear! Strong Women Are Here!”

Walking down the streets of Deep Ellum, chanting to support women’s rights, I had never felt more accepted and appreciated by such a massive group of people than at that moment.

Cities all around the world all came together post inauguration day to protest the new leadership of Republican President Donald Trump. From Los Angeles all the way to London and Paris, the world was protesting to protect the rights that Trump has been fighting to take. There were twice as many people at the Women’s March in Washington DC then there were at Trump’s inauguration, according to International Business Times UK.

I saw hundreds of thousands of females and males of all races and ages and religions. I saw females from age 2 to age 86. It wasn’t just one specific group. It was, simply put, a stand for women.

I marched next to my best friend, junior Mandana Burton, who carried a sign reading, ‘My Body My Choice’. I carry my camera in hopes to document a truly eye opening experience for me and many others. Everyone met at Dallas City Hall and when 10 o’clock hit, we started marching.

We marched for two miles, filling the streets of Downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum. Police barricaded streets off to try to minimize traffic. I would apologize for causing half of Dallas to be late to their plans that Saturday morning, but I’m obviously not sorry about it.

As we walked, cars would honk and wave to show their support. We also encountered two white men in their mid-twenties who were wearing ‘Make America Great Again’ hats that were the opposite of happy to see us protesting their president.

The march ended in Downtown Deep Ellum where a DJ was set up to play female power songs by Beyonce and other female icons. All of the women dancing warmed my heart as I captured it to be recorded forever.

In the end, we might have gotten lost in Downtown Dallas and got Mandana’s car booted, but it was worth it. It was worth it to see the community coming together with the common goal to take down misogyny in America.

It was a happy moment where so much love was in such a world of darkness. It was a glue that stuck us all together even when America is falling apart, a life-changing event that will be a page in the history books in years to come. As years pass by, I’ve seen good times and I’ve seen bad times, but this was a great time, a beautiful time, and an extraordinary time to live in Dallas.