Making a difference one march at a time

Students at St. George’s work to instill change in the greater Memphis community

Memphians+march+down+the+street+in+downtown.+Over+673+marches+took+place+around+the+world+on+Saturday%2C+Jan.+21.

Photo: Elle Vaughn

Memphians march down the street in downtown. Over 673 marches took place around the world on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Millions of men, women and children around the world took to the streets in order to promote the idea of women’s equality and to support the continued struggle for women’s right on Saturday, Jan. 21, only one day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

When including protests taking place across the world, an estimated 4,956,422 individuals came together in the demonstration of solidarity, according to womensmarch.org, Memphis was just one of thousands of cities that had a protest in the name of not only women’s, but humans’, rights.

Senior Chloe Booth attended the march in downtown Memphis.

“Seeing such a strong sense of community around me was an uplifting experience. I was so happy to see people come together and create a united front to fight for what they believe in,” Booth said. “As we were walking, trucks would honk their horns to the chants and workers would come out and cheer.”

While not everyone was able to join in the march, many students at St. George’s were proud of the global movement, which sparked 673 marches according to womensmarch.org.

“I think it’s super cool that movements that typically take place in more liberal placed are starting to move to basically everywhere,” junior Carly Owens said. “People who wouldn’t normally be able to participate in a women’s march are able to do so.”

The Women’s Affinity Club at the Collierville campus has sparked attention in young women throughout the upper school. Junior Emily O’Connell, a member of the Women’s Affinity Club, believes this event was exactly what the club needed.

“This march kind of raised awareness for the club, so we are gonna get more involved and plan a trip to a march or protest,” O’Connell said. “We talked about the women’s march and why they were marching and why it was an important thing especially now since everybody is very divided on one end or the other of the political spectrum.”

Booth has hope that the march will have a positive effect on the Memphis community.

“There’s no telling what kind of events might occur from the Women’s March,” Booth said. “My hope is a greater sense of understanding of the plight of women, specifically women of color, in the Memphis area.”

Students from the St. George’s community and individuals around the world are sparking changes one march at a time.