By Carina M

On February 11, Planned Parenthood held a march in their location in Ann Arbor. My friends and I decided to join the march that included strong and resilient women fighting for their rights and men fighting for the rights of their mothers, daughters, and sisters. Hundreds of people attended this protest and even some pro-lifers who respectably stayed on their side of the sidewalk in front of Planet Fitness.

This protest was not in the least bit violent. We all used our right to freedom of speech and let our peaceful actions be seen in the way we protested. We protested sayings such as, “Planned Parenthood is here to stay! You won’t take our rights away” and “gay, straight, black, white, we’ll unite for women’s rights!”

Senior Emmy McAtamney was quoted in a Michigan Live article where she said, “As long as the resistance is going, we won’t be silenced.” Senior Mandy Ta, who previously attended the women’s march the day after President Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day, believed it was a positive experience just like the women’s march she went to in Ann Arbor.. Lastly, Senior Michelle Raytman said, “The women’s march was one of unity and a feeling of mutual respect for one another. People came in support of one another and a greater cause, to voice their opinions and to share their experiences. It was empowering and I felt as if I was a part of something bigger.”

Although some believe these protests are useless, I believe they truly do empower people to get involved in what they believe in. This protest was such a monumental experience for me because it left me feeling uplifted and happy about the power us citizens can have and how our voices can create a change.