It’s been an extraordinary weekend.
I attended the Women’s March in San Jose with several friends, my husband and members of our amazing community.
Like all the sister marches around the world, San Jose broke a record. Organizers expected about 10,000 marchers to converge on San Jose’s City Hall. Our numbers swelled to 25,000. This translated into long lines for public transportation, and a march that took nearly two hours to complete. We joked that it was more of a meander or a crawl than a march. We had the time of our lives.
Together we walked in unity along the route from San Jose City Hall to Cesar Chavez Park in downtown San Jose.
It was exhilarating! Women chanted, sang, smiled and laughed. Sometimes we wept. It was an experience I will never forget. 25,000 people coming together in peaceful solidarity.
Here is a quick snapshot of the day:
It’s hard to describe the outpouring of energy, the camaraderie and the joy. As I walked with my fellow marchers, I felt cocooned in a collective embrace.
My phone battery died early so I didn’t get as many photos as I would have liked. I wish I had photos of all the people waving from buildings along the route, the signs, the children, the sea of pink hats. My friend Rosie observed that “the force was with you today with crowds, weather, significance and attitudes.”
Today I’m joining thousands of others in the campaign 10 Actions for the first 100 Days. Here’s what the website has to say:
10 ACTIONS / 100 DAYS
We did it! On January 21, over 5 Million of us worldwide and over 1 Million in Washington, D.C., came to march, speak and make our voices heard. But it doesn’t end here – now is not the time to hang up our marching shoes – it’s time to get our friends, family and community together and make history.
Every 10 days we will take action on an issue we all care about, starting today.
I’m ready! How about you?
- San Jose Inside: Record Setting Women’s March in San Jose
- Laurie at Life on the Bike and Other Fab Things attended the Women’s March in DC. You can read about her initial impressions here. Check out the photo of the woman elevating her walker along the parade route.
- Karen at The Unassuming Hiker doesn’t like crowds. She brushed aside health concerns and marched anyway, with her daughter and other friends. She took a bus from Virginia to be at the DC march. She shares her own unique perspective here.
- The Pussyhat Project: A bit about the movement, free patterns to knit or sew.
Gardening Nirvana 
Awesome experience!
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Cindy, where did you march?
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Thank you for marching. Thank you for speaking out. Thank you for standing up for human rights. I participated in a teeny tiny march the same day in solidarity. There were three of us, with our sign: Hope, Not Fear. 💕💞✌
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Wilma, thank you for doing the same. Your strength and passion inspire me. A march of three in your beautiful island community sounds perfect to me. xo
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Well done you! I love the photograph of the ‘sea of pink’ on the Pussyhat Project page from the march on Washington DC. If I’d known you were going to march I’d have knitted you a pink hat.
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Thank you! What a lovely thought. I would have worn it proudly. I loved seeing all the pink hats, too. It was a nice representation of women pulling together.
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I’m in tears… again. So many wonderful people out there.
Do you have specific plans now? There was so much positive energy on Saturday, I hope that it doesn’t simply dissipate. Now I’m off to take a look at the 10/100 website…
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Me too (in tears, that is). I hadn’t heard of this movement – certainly there doesn’t seem to be news of it in the U.K. So great to see some positive action – what we need in these trying times!
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Helen, here is some info about the march in London, and some actionable items going forward if you’re interested: https://www.womensmarchlondon.com/
The unity and the outpouring, the “I’ve had enough, lets get to work” attitude are inspiring.
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I’m really shocked and dismayed that no mention was made of this March in the media here. Perhaps I didn’t listen to the news on Saturday but our freedom of speech has biases, nonetheless. Anyway, thank you for sharing the link to UK actions. I’m going to email Theresa May today in light of her meeting with Donald Trump tomorrow.
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Helen, that is shocking. Sad, too. I’m delighted to hear that you’ll be emailing Theresa May. One letter, one phone call, one action at a time. Go you!
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Emailed her today…. and when I talked to the people who share my office I discovered that they knew about the marches/campaign. One of them had actually thought about joining the march in York, a nearby city. Anyway, I’ve now forwarded details of the 10 actions in 100 days to them, so that is already progress of a sort. As for me, today I also became a paying supporter of Women’s Aid, a charity that works for women and children affected by domestic abuse.
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Helen! You are a rock star. Thank you for making your voice heard and for joining the 10 actions in 100 days campaign. I think we’ve all had enough. Thank you, too, for supporting Women’s Aid. I’m invigorated by your comments here today. xo
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You don’t need to thank me for supporting Women’s Aid 😉. I’m glad you feel invigorated by my comments yesterday – if you are feeling generally the same as me, it does seem as though we live in an increasingly hopeless world. Now, I hope the movement we are discussing turns out to be a real movement with stamina and teeth.
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Helen, that’s what we need, stamina and teeth. Yesterday seemed to get worse and worse by the hour. I find myself waking up thinking about it.
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I’m not surprised!! Every time I turn on the radio, I dread to hear what next 🙁
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Yup. I understand.
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I feel those tears. It’s quite emotional, and there is so much at stake. I’ve joined the San Jose chapter of SURJ, Showing up for Racial Justice. I’m also taking part in the 10/100 campaign. We’re making donations to organizations including NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center and the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union). I’m open to all actions that will make a difference.
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What an amazing day you had of it Alys. I’m sure it is something you will never forget! It seems so wonderful to me that the orange potus has already brought about this amazing experience that involves millions of people coming together peacefully to march, sing, talk, share and BE wonderful human beings, celebrating all the shades and states and ways of being and living and loving. I hope the impetus stays strong and moves forward and rises up regularly and brings about the change that is required. I’m with you in spirit! xoxo
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It was an amazing day, Pauline. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my being, radiating from all around me. I’m with you: the impetus must remain strong. Folks are already discussing what’s known as mid-term elections, and in the interim, we’re going to challenge the injustices he’s already trying to impose. Thank you for your wonderful support and love. xoxo
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Alys, I am so happy you were there. I was on my couch cheering everyone on. 🙂
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Right on! I could feel all the positive energy. We’re united around the world.
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Proud of you and every other woman, man, child, and dog that marched! Truly a day to remember and to use as motivation. And we’ll need that motivation in these days of alternative facts.
So glad you shared the 10 Actions/100 Days link. I’ll add that to my current post and all future ones about the #womensmarch.
I already had a Let’s Elect More Women event planned. Now I’m going to work on a post card writing party!
Let’s all get to work!
(Thanks for the ping back my friend. Love you!)
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Laurie, no moss gathers under you. You are on it. I’ve been invited to a postcard writing party. I’m looking forward to connecting with others for the cause. How I wish we lived closer to each other. You inspire me every day.
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As proud as I am of everyone who participated, I’m outraged that it is still necessary to fight this hard in the year 2017! Those numbers cannot be ignored. We will not be silent.
I also thank you for the ping back! Solidarity Sister!!
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It is an outrage, isn’t it? My friend Donna’s ERA Now sign was a great metaphor for what feels like a loss and then a reversal of progress. I’m so tired of it.
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I can feel your excitement! And what an amazing day it was! I couldn’t bring myself to face the crowds and march (sort of ashamed to admit it) but I watched and read and cheered and was so impressed with the passion!
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Kerry, marching amidst crowds is not for everyone. I’m glad you could cheer from home and I know you support all that the movement stands for. The passion will carry the day.
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Wonderful Alys I cannot join in with physical actions but in spirit I am there!! xo Johanna
ps and your hat was amazing.
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Johanna, I know you were there in spirit. Thank you for that.
I’m glad you liked my hat. I had fun creating it.
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I was in hospital for an operation do was not able to join in a match as I came round from the operation I was delighted to hear of so many women who went on to the streets to fight for justice.
I salute all the women who protested against women being abused by the most powerful man on earth.
Well done ladies I believe the message did hit home.
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I’m sorry to read that you’ve been in the hospital. I hope you are recovering well. You were there in spirit and that is equally valuable. I too salute all women making a stand. I know the message hit home. And now we fight for what’s right for all human beings. Get well soon.
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I’m so proud of everyone who marched. I participated the best way I could from home: wore pink and watched the coverage on TV. The trick now will be to keep the momentum up and to find ways to keep The Orange Man from doing too much damage.
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Sue, I’m so glad you were there in spirit. I like to think that for every woman who marched, there were at least ten others that couldn’t be there, but supported it in spirit. The man is on notice. And yes, momentum now is key. I’m fired up. Now to find the balance between action while avoiding the discouraging news and insulting sound bites.
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What an overwhelming success the march was and I am proud to call you my friend Alys 😀
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Thank you, Joe! It was an overwhelming success. The administration is on notice. We won’t give up and we won’t go away.
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I can only hope that those in charge will pay heed to this. I’m afraid it will fall on deaf ears, blind eyes and closed minds. We had quite a turn out here as well. My heart and good thoughts were with you and all. This should not be necessary. That it is, deeply saddens me.
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Marlene, it’s an ugly time in America. There is work to be done, and millions of people who are fired up and ready to tackle the challenges in the long haul. But as you and others have said, why are we here?! Just the few actions he’s putting in to place this week will have unfavorable consequences for many. He’s a hateful, selfish man. I share all of your concerns.
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I couldn’t agree more! I hate to turn on the television anymore because his face is always there doing some awful thing. I’ll get a lot of books read now and more projects done. Be watching Netflix or something else. 😦 I saw what he did on the Dakota pipeline and other environmental things. GRRRR. Gashing of teeth here.
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I listened to music in the car this morning, because I need a break. I’m half way through a wonderful book as well. I can’t duck and cover the entire time, but I need more mental health breaks from the news. Yup…fast tracking the Dakota pipeline, no federal funding for overseas organizations that provide access to abortion (which means many more women will die), and the god-forsaken wall. It’s feeling less and less like a democracy.
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Shades of Hitler all over again. 😦
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It’s horrifying and getting worse by the hour. I keep trying to wake up from the nightmare.
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I love the hat Alys. I’ve heard great things from everyone who went to a march. I’m in for the 100 days of action.
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I’m glad you like the hat, Lisa. It was fun making it and wearing it. Thank you for taking part in the 100 days of action. I’m trying to figure out how to stay in action while at the same time not getting mired down by the depressing news. It’s a challenge. It must be quite remarkable working in D.C. at this time.
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Good to know you are making yourselves heard and seen. I heard on the radio today that the Mexican Wall will be going up soon – can’t believe that he is serious – what century is this man in – how long did it take to break down the Berlin wall and what cheers when it came down.
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I was in Berlin a year after the wall came down, and I was in Hamburg one New Year’s Eve where I met a couple who had lived in East Germany. Shame on this man! He’s hateful, hurtful, self-centered, arrogant and now he’s the sitting president. Resist, resist, resist.
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Wow, wow!! Your video is totally awesome Alys. Both for content and production. I loved it, your smile, your hat and all the interviews too. Those ladies are so committed and focused, their thoughts clear and articulate, I’m in awe. It’s interesting to me too, but not surprising, that not a single arrest was made in any of the marches. No battles, no disparaging rhetoric, just a lot of love for the cause and our fellow human beings. I confess, I’m on DT overload on FB. Everything being so negative really affects my phycy in a negative way. I don’t want to be boggled down by his toxic waste and for now, I’m just drifting by a lot of FB posts. Thanks for sharing your illuminating and brilliant day here. It’s the perfect Rx. Sending much love and good vibes for all of you that marched. xoxoxo K
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Well phooey, I just left a message and posted. But it was the wrong id? Now back as Boomdeeadda and there’s no message……gah, will come back soon for longer message but Love love love your post xoxox K
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