Women’s marches are being planned across North and South America this weekend and there’s one scheduled for Windsor as well.
Hundreds of cities are holding the march simultaneously to recognize the anniversary of last year’s march on Washington during U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
According to the website, the march is being hosted “in solidarity with women and human rights groups from across the world… There is still so much work to do to protect and advance the rights of women, and the rights of all vulnerable citizens in our country - and around the world.”
Windsor’s March will start at 11:00 Saturday at City Hall Square in downtown Windsor. After a short program, the march will procees west along University Avenue, turn north on Ouellette Avenue and finish at the Great Canadian Flag at the riverfront. Participants will be invited for hot chocolate and cookies at a warming station nearby following the March. The 'Windsor March' Facebook page indicates more than 200 people plan on attending.
The event is being organized by a group of people who attended the march last year in Washington and women’s organizations from Windsor. “We are committed to intersectional feminism. All are welcome to March. Everyone. Please bring your village,” says a post on the group’s Facebook page.
People are encouraged to bring signs and noisemakers to the free event. “Bring your Village” has been the rallying call to unite friends, family, and allies in the community to attend the march, according to event co-organizer Sarah Morris.
Organizers of Women's March Canada, Windsor chapter say they would like to acknowledge that the land on which they gather is the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (Neutral), Anishnaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples.
Local MPs Cheryl Hardcastle and Tracey Ramsey both plan on marching alongside members of the community.
“I am so proud to march with our amazing and strong community of women in Windsor-Essex,” says Ramsey. The message that women throughout the country are taking to our neighbourhoods with a message of solidarity, struggle and the realization that 51% of our population in Canada is still struggling for equality. We will continue to fight for pay equity, a woman’s rights and freedom from harassment.”
“This is about recognizing the positive force of women. The realization has reached critical mass and there’s no going back. The genies are out of the bottles,” added Hardcastle.
