today i walked in solidarity with women, men, children, all ages and ethnicities, LGBTQ, along with people of diverse religious or non-religious belief.
we marched for the values we hold dear and the rights we think all people deserve. most people had a message of love, of kindness, of openness, but also a steely resolution that said, “we won’t go back, we won’t normalize the indecency and hate we’ve seen.”

it was a diverse and energized populace fully engaging in our civic duty and our right to peacefully assemble.

we marched for those there and those who could not make it. we marched in solidarity with others who were marching in 200 US cities, and 50 countries. and we marched for those who disagree and those who don’t think we should be marching, because women’s rights are human rights, and human rights are for all.

most cities had double or more of the attendance they had expected. some cities had astounding attendance (DC: near 500,000, LA: near 750,000, NY near 500,000, and other cities in the hundreds of thousand and tens of thousands).

as of now San Diego is estimated to have had 40,000. i think it may be more once they finish tallying.

it was a completely peaceful rally, yet so energized. it couldn’t have felt any safer, either, and that is due to the amazing San Diego Police Department. we thanked individual officers as we saw them, but i wanted to give a shout out here, because from what i understand they worked with the organizers in a great way, all of it beneficial and smooth. i appreciate them immensely.

the road ahead may be long and not easy, but it is one we must forge with inclusivity, open hearts, fierce compassion, wisdom, kindness, and love without letting up.
may this day be remembered.
~j

01.21.17

#womensmarch #sdwomensmarch #TheLongArc #PlantingSeeds #ForwardTogether #YesWeCan #LoveWins #EngagedBuddhist #EngagedBuddhism