Sun. January 21, 2018
Chicago, IL -
The number of people who attended the Women's March in Chicago on Saturday exceeded both expectations on turnout as well as the number who took part in the march one year ago this weekend, according to NBC Chicago.
"A year after the Women's March on Chicago exceeded our wildest expectations, today's March on the Polls demonstrates that the voices of women and their allies are stronger than ever," the Women's March Chicago board said in a statement Saturday afternoon.
"Today we marched. Tomorrow we vote," the statement added.
Participants packed Grant Park and surrounding streets Saturday, marching for change and women's rights. The march ended at Federal Plaza downtown.
Speakers included several prominent Chicago politicians and activists, Chicago Fire actor and activist Monica Raymund, who served as Grand Marshal for the 47th annual Chicago Pride Parade in 2016, philanthropist and progressive activist founder of Need to Impeach Tom Steyer, and the women cast of Hamilton.
Actor and producer Fawzia Mirza and Broadway Youth Center's Channyn Lynne Parker represented the LGBTQ community at the rally.
"We are people of all ages, accessibilities, races, genders, orientations and language capacities," said Mirza. "This march is for women, women identifying people, gender nonconforming people, trans people and male allies. We are all feminists. The purpose of this march is to stay woke and this year we have to take our power to the polls."
The march in Chicago was one of hundreds of events worldwide this weekend. The nationwide movement is aimed at encouraging women to vote in the November midterm elections.
Related: 300,000 rally at Women's March Chicago event (Windy City Times)
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