Despite this year’s removal of requirements for the civic engagement program, Parker students came in masses to celebrate feminism and social equality this past weekend, participating in the Women’s Marches in Chicago, Washington D.C., St. Louis, and New York on January 21, the day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

While these protests were separated by hundreds and thousands of miles, they all featured similar scenes: streets flooded with women, men, and children bearing signs and marching together in a sea of pink clothing and kitty hats. Sporadic chants punny and powerful alike broke out, including, “Tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” “No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!” and a call and response chants with the women and girls shouting, “My body, my choice!” and men and boys responding, “Her body, her choice!”

Many of these chants were pointed at the President––“We will not go away. Welcome to your first day” and “Keep your tiny hands off my rights.” Like the streets, social media outlets on Saturday flooded with posts of support and recognition for those who marched from members of the community.  Protesters across the country joined the movement, each for her or his own purpose. In Chicago Michigan Avenue, Wabash, Jackson, and Columbus were all brimming with people with political and personal motivations.

Senior Michael Daalder, who attended the march in Chicago with his brother, mother, and father, raised a sign that read, “This jew stands against fascism.”  According to Daalder, the demographics of the march were what brought him most pride. “There is a value to having it be a march for both genders,” Daalder said. “Just like when there are white people at a Black Lives Matter protest, you are making the statement that this is not just an issue for a black person, this is not just an issue for women.”

A group of eight Parker students, three teachers, and several other students from Chicago drove 10 hours by bus to the D.C march to represent the Illinois Youth Chapter in the largest of the marches across the world.

Senior Franny Weed also flew to Washington D.C., with her mother and sister.  “I wanted to go because I thought it was kind of healing after all this negativity and after the election and everything that surrounded the election,” Weed said. “But also I wanted to be surrounded by people who wanted to spread positivity and who wanted there to be change in the way people treat and respect women.”

Senior Sophia Rooney also marched with her mother in DC. She described the street as “flooded with people,” and that “everyone was really unified.” “And then when I went back to my hotel, we were flipping through news channels, and it was the same case all over the world, and it just proved that we are enough, and we are really strong when we come together.”