Hundreds of people converged in Miami Gardens on Jan. 18 for the local version of the Women’s March, one of nearly 250 marches nationwide in solidarity with the event in Washington, D.C., which drew a reported 30,000 people despite the rain and cold.
During the march and rally that ended at the Betty T. Ferguson Complex, women and their supporters held signs and chanted, the slogans echoing through the air:
“Women are like dynamite: we tick, tick, tick, tick, boom! Dynamite! Boom! Boom! Dynamite!”
Attendees said they wanted to raise awareness of issues important to them, including: reproductive rights, gun violence, immigration and gender equality.
Prior to the march’s start, attendees listened to speeches from activists and politicians, including State Rep. Dotie Joseph, a North Miami Democrat, Melba Pearson, who is running for Miami-Date state attorney, and activist Candii Reid of Girls with Scars.
Carrie Feit, the president of Women’s March Miami and vice president of Women’s March Florida, said she wants to help protect marginalized women and work toward gender equality.
She said when she first got involved in 2017, it was due to the fact Donald Trump was elected despite his demeaning and sexist comments toward women. Feit said she thought about her pre-teen nieces and her own children, and what his election meant for them.
“Breaking our chains means that none of us are free until all of us are free,” she said, referencing the main message of this event.
Nancy Metayer, who is running for Coral Springs commissioner, said it’s important that more pro-choice women are elected.
“It is important that women not only have the power to make decisions about their bodies, but it’s also important to be involved in the political process as well,” she said.
Attendee Elena Guerra said she wants to fight for the younger generation and for a “time in the future where everyone is equal.” She said she is particularly interested in protecting safe access to abortions.
“I never imaged the ban on abortions to be a thing or for a person to have control over another human being’s body,” she said.
Alexander Perez said he attended to support his girlfriend.
“No matter what color, race, gender — there should be no discrimination of any kind and it’s important to fight for all human rights to be equal,” he said.
Women’s March Florida is planning another rally on Jan. 22 in Tallahassee, with an aim of bringing their concerns to the state capital.
Jesus Dobbins contributed to the video piece.
Note: This story was updated on Jan. 20 to reflect additional information.
