For 2018, the Women’s March looks forward to the polls
Look back, march forward.
The second annual Women's March, happening today, January 20, all over the U.S. and across the world, will be taking off with a renewed focus on more tangible goals than the march last year. Specifically, this year's march focuses on harnessing the collective power women hold, politically and socially, with a new sub-campaign from the organization: "Power to the Polls" and slogan "Look Back, March Forward."
Last year's Women's March, which took place the day after Trump's inauguration and saw unprecedented numbers of people participating all over the country (including Rihanna), was largely in anger to protest Trump's election. This year, the Women's March organizers have moved beyond that anger and toward a tone of action that prioritizes harnessing the political power of women in the voting sphere, and in their own communities, while doubling down on their previous pledge of resistance.
The organizers announce on their website that their new slogan "Look Back, March Forward" is a pledge and campaign to "renewed and continued resistance in 2018." Not only to keep marching, but also to "direct action and engagement so that we can bring forth real change in our Global and local communities."
A direct action that the Women's March is advocating for is front and center in their new event "Power to the Polls." The Women's March organizers write: "This next stage of the movement will channel the energy and activism of the Women's March into tangible strategies and concrete wins in 2018." The event, which will take place January 21 in Las Vegas, will advocate for "policies and candidates that reflect our values," women to run for office, and jump-start a national voting registration tour.
From the photos that are already coming in of the marches that just started a few hours ago, it appears that the new campaign and slogan are taking off, with many also bringing attention to DACA and the immigration into their demonstrations. Check out footage of the various marches below, and you can view a live stream of rallies from across the world here.