Today was a very special day. Today, women took to the
streets of Los Angeles, because they decided it was time that our voices were
heard in the midst of the new presidency. Although the name of the march was
“Women’s March LA,” this was much more than about women’s rights—it was about
human rights. And yes, women’s rights ARE human rights.
This is why today in the streets, I didn’t just see women,
men, and children. I saw every part of a diverse America that makes our country
great: Latinos, blacks, whites, people with disabilities, Jews, Muslims,
Christians, immigrants—the list goes on. Something specific may have brought
each person out to march today, but in the end, we were all there for the same
reason: to fight for our shared values.
The next four years are going to be challenging for us as nation,
and not only because of the policies that may be enacted or overturned. It’s a
little deeper than that. We are dealing with: 1) a president whose level of
insecurity is unsettling, 2) a proposed cabinet that is unequipped to serve the
best interests of the American people, and 3) the fact that people actually
believe that America needs to be made great “again”—because I ask you, when was
America greater than it is now? When segregation existed? When women couldn’t vote? What
makes our country great is the fact that we are always on a positive
trajectory of progress.
For every action, there is a reaction; it’s a law of the
universe. President Obama turned our country around from economic turmoil,
fought for social justice, kept us safe, and made major steps towards
protecting the earth from climate change. Trump is now president, and all of
that is at risk. However, I believe that today was just the beginning of a reaction
that is not going to be finished very quickly. People are vigilant, because this
is personal. Most importantly, even though many feel the right person wasn’t
inaugurated yesterday, people still believe that love trumps hate—we chanted it
as we marched towards City Hall.
Keep being vigilant but also, keep being love. Stay vigilant because when we’re vigilant, we can use that fire in us to react and resist. But
also, stay loving, because we are going to show the world that through love, we
can protect our country. We will embrace and invite diversity. We will defend women’s
rights. We will demand a just immigration policy. We will reaffirm that black
lives matter. We will denounce any form of bullying or hatred. We will protect
our environment. These aren’t partisan issues; they’re our values as human
beings.
Now is the time to get fired up and get active about an
issue that matters to us. Stay informed and refer to credible sources of
information, so no one can distort the truth for you. Finally, like so many of
us did today, keep steppin’. God bless.
Love,
Vanessa
