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Last year, an estimated half a million people attended the first ever Women’s March on the National Mall. This year, on Donald Trump’s one year anniversary as President, nearly 10,000 protesters marched in the District, hoping to make their voice and opinion heard. With a stage in the middle of the mall, activists gathered and listened to speakers spread their messages. A few Oakton High School students decided to join in on the march.

Olivia Martinez (9) has attended both of the Women’s Marches with her mother. She explained that there were noticeably fewer people in attendance this year compared to last year. However, there was still a greater number of people participating in the march than she had anticipated.  Last year Martinez marched to the Capitol. This year, she started near the reflecting pool and marched to the White House.

Tess Jones (12)  attended the march for the first time this year. With a couple of her soccer teammates alongside her, Jones marched from the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial to the White House, twice. Overall, Jones was impressed with how the other people attending the march were so respectful.

“It was just a way for us to tell people in a nice, civilized way that we are not treated fairly,  and that not everyone is treated fairly, not women, people of color,  or LGBTQ people,” said Martinez. The positive atmosphere helped make this messages more powerful. “For me, and many of the other people out there, [the Women’s March] was about standing in solidarity for what we believe,” said Jones.

There are many messages that were communicated via posters, chants, cheers, and rallying cries. “We are probably not going to stop until we are treated fairly and get the same rights as everyone else,” said Martinez. Everybody at the march was advocating for change. “There’s so much strength in being able to vote and being active in what we believe and want to change,” said Jones.

Both Martinez and Jones plan on going to the Women’s March again next year. Jones might even bring her dog along with her. Hopefully, the momentum from this march will only grow and evolve into positive change throughout the nation.