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Thousands flooded the streets of downtown Los Angeles for the 3rd annual Women’s March on Saturday and in the crowd were plenty of South Pasadenans, including the city’s mayor, Dr. Marina Khubesrian.
“It’s a very important day,” said Khubesrian, who, like others, enjoyed ideal 75 degree weather for much of the event that took demonstrators from Pershing Square to City Hall.
“I know a lot of women, men and families in our town who, along with students from the high school, go each year,” she continued. “It’s a day where a lot of community people are very involved, advocating for social justice for vulnerable communities. That includes women with reproductive rights, LGBTQ (the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender community) rights, workers rights and more.”
Men and women carried homemade signs filled with messages. One read: “Respect Existence or Respect Resistance.” Another carried the words: “Women’s Rights are Human’s Rights.” A third read: “The Future is Female.”
The first march in 2017, one day following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, was a major spectacle drawing hundreds of thousands of people to Los Angeles, New York and Washington D.C., along with dozens of cities across the United States. Locally, marches were held this year in Santa Ana and Riverside County.
Saturday’s event featured musical performances and motivational speeches. Among the speakers at the event were L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, actress Laverne Cox, L.A. City Councilwoman Nury Martinez, U.S. Rep. Katie Hill, lawyer Gloria Allred, and L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis.
Organizers say that the march is not a protest but a way to get their message out. The women’s march website reads: “This is a pro peace, pro inclusivity event focused on marginalized voices and the power of voting.”
“I have been to these wonderful events and there’s such a sense of unity,” explained Khubesrian, who joined her daughter, Sofie, at the march. “The common cause for everyone who is there is treating human life with dignity. It’s a very powerful experience. People kind of looking out for one another is the essence of these marches.”
A march for OneLife L.A. was also held in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. Thousands joined Archbishop Jose Gomez in the annual anti-abortion event.
