Sounding Board

Excerpts and summaries of stories, comments from Spokane’s Women’s March

 

Marchers at Spokane Women's March

Heather Rhoades, who helped coordinate the Women’s March in Spokane, called the women and men of many races, ages, religions, abilities and gender identities to “be involved, get involved and stay involved.”

Spokane’s march, which drew more than 8,000 people—10,000 by some estimates—was one of 673 marches on Jan. 21 in communities across the United States and around the world.  Global estimates range from 3 to 5 million marchers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dannetta Garcia

Spokane emcee Dannetta Garcia worked for women’s, human and voter rights in Sacramento and recently moved to Spokane. She said: “We march as those before us, because we believe we can make a difference.  The Declaration of Independence grants the inalienable right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Happiness gives us purpose, but is not guaranteed.  We must pursue it with all we have in us.  As we unify, our voices are amplified. 

She calls for changing the landscape  and removing stigmas that hold many hostage.

“We need to come together, not in despair, but in solidarity.  We are marching as those who have gone before.  We must believe we can make a difference,” she said, heartened to see so many men. “We will weave our energy across all countries to draw new women. We will not stop.”

 

Cindy Shaw

Cindy Shaw, manager of Hope House, said serial murders of women on the street led to starting the women’s shelter in 1997.  Women who enter Hope House have a bed, shower, meals and safety for 15 hours.  Those turned out may face freezing weather, being mugged, raped or robbed. 

“Even working here, I’m guilty of looking and not seeing, hearing and not listening. We may lose women who do not get in,” she said.

Homeless women are called bum, prostitute, alcoholic, addict, but each has a story. They were productive women, some with master’s and doctoral degrees, doctors, lawyers, teachers and wives. They lost a job or spouse, or made wrong choices, said Cindy.

Hope House seeks to give women incentive to pick up and helps women find housing, jobs, health and counseling.

 

Indigenous Women Rise

Adella King of the Women’s Warbonnet Society, said the society seeks to protect the human race and love everyone.

Deborah from North Dakota called people to support Standing Rock efforts to protect drinking water and sacred sites.

 

 

 

 

Angela Jones

Angela Jones, chief of staff at EWU, said, “Rebellions are built on hope.”  Coming from slave owners in Tennessee, she said that if someone had given up on the fight to abolish slavery, “I would not be standing here.”

“We need to stop freaking out.  Yesterday was not Day One of resistance. We have been doing this for a long time.  We need to work together, stay informed, be involved and be active in order to bring change.”

Eastern Washington University has its first woman president in its 135-year history. There are now four women executives.

“Be active, build capacity, run for government, join nonprofits, end discrimination and be resistant,” Angela said.

 

Candace Mumm

Councilwoman Candace Mumm read a letter from Maria Cantwell, saying that women Senators are in solidarity with women and “will carry your message to the halls of power until there is justice.”

“Women’s rights are human rights.  We need to build successes to carry the torch of justice forward,” Maria said. “Women have the potential to lift up the least and topple the powerful. We need determination to face threats.”

 

 

 

Karl Eastlund

Karl Eastlund, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, said women losing access to health care is a threat to women’s lives:  After Planned Parenthood closed in Texas, there were more unintentional pregnancies and more maternal deaths.  After Indiana closed it, there was a rise in HIV because there was no place to test for it. He urged people to march  “every day for the rest of your lives” and to engage with those in power.

 

 

Meena and Savanna, high school seniors in running start at Spokane Falls Community College, organized a candlelight vigil in the fall at the Spokane County Courthouse.  They named women who have fought for women’s rights, saying: “We need to use our voices and not back down.”  They challenged that a fraternity boy who raped an unconscious woman was given a light sentence out of worry about his career, but no one cared about the impact of the rape on the woman.

 

Women's March Spokane

A teacher in Pasco, grew up in a migrant family in California.  “Esperanza” or “hope” in a time like this is in honoring migrants’ sacrifices by empowering them.  Her father sacrificed, working three jobs so she could go to a university. “I want students to value education and fulfill their dreams,” she said. “Nine-year-olds in my class worry if their parents will be picked up while they are at school....We need to recognize the contribution of immigrants to society and allow them to live in peace not fear. ”

 

 

 

Sally Jackson

Sally Jackson, a former Spokane Democratic Party leader who has long advocated for women’s rights and the Equal Rights Amendment, said:  “I have worried for 20 years we would lose civil rights for women.  Our rights hang by a slender thread.  Women’s rights are not in the Constitution because a handful of states blocked the Equal Rights Amendment.”

Remembering when sexual harassment was a condition of employment, she said: “Today is my 85th birthday, and I’m as full of fire as I was 50 years ago. I am still working for women’s rights....We will not let them take our rights away.  Go get ‘em!”

 

 

 

Liz Rognes

Liz Rognes, a performer, musician, writer, teacher was told when she was 29 and applied for graduate school that she couldn’t be an academic and mother.  She is both.

 

 

 

 

Alma

Alma, who came to the U.S. when she was 11 months old, has a degree in sociology at Whitworth.  She said: “I am marching because there is so much work to do.” She called for making allies, community organizing and political involvement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan Shannon

Jan Shannon, assistant pastor at Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ, introduced herself as “a unicorn, a thing that does not exist,” a gay and Christian. “I’m Christian because I believe women’s rights, women’s right to choose, black lives and LGBTQ lives matter to God. I also believe in climate change.”

 

 

 

 

 

Sorayya, who has been here two years, was born in Afghanistan and fled the Taliban when she was 16.  She spent three years in Turkey and 10 years in Iran as a refugee.

“I have been a refugee most of my life.  I didn’t go to school, so I tried to educate myself on my own,” said Sorayya, who is now a college student and has her children in school. “I hope my children will never be refugees.”

 

Linda Hunt

Linda Hunt of the Krista Foundation told of her grief after her daughter, who was serving in Bolivia, was killed in a car accident.  Linda turned her grief into helping others who serve internationally.

“Many feel grief about what is happening in our nation after the degrading talk in the campaign.  The soul of the nation is at stake,” she said.

“We are in the liminal state of grief, not knowing where we are headed or what will happen.  It can be a time of strength and creativity to access the wellspring of love within us....Righteous anger comes from caring,” she said.

Linda plans to invite women to tea to hear of the hope they feel and to start conversations with people who think differently from her about what is happening.

 

Women's March Spokane

Amanda Mansfield, president of National Organization for Women (NOW) Spokane, said the election has “energized our membership as never before, and fueled an exponential surge in support and participation.”

She said the Women’s March on Washington has posted online “10 Actions for the First 100 Days.”

For information, email womenmarchspokane@gmail.com or follow on Facebook.



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