More than 1,000 people gathered Saturday morning in Midtown Memphis for the second annual Women’s March, one of the many events held across the country last weekend.
Unlike last year’s march down Main Street, this year’s rally was held inside First Congregational Church.
During the event, activists and community leaders gave speeches stressing the importance of individuals voting and staying active in politics.
Kathy Story, who took part last year, spoke about the ever-changing political climate.
“I think that they have just solidified," she said. "I think it's worse than we thought it would be and so all of the issues we were marching for there are still here: peace and equality and women’s rights and rights for the poor, immigrant rights - all of those things. I think they are even more in focus now than they were then.”
Story’s words indicated that the problems the movement brought to light have not yet been suitably addressed.
Julianna Stanford, attending with a friend, felt that the voices of many Americans are going unheard.
“I think responsive, responsible government listens to the voice of all the members, especially members of the party that they are not a part of,” Stanford said.
Representatives for various organizations turned out for the event. Shiloh Barnat-Goodman, with Showing Up for Racial Justice Memphis, said the movement is not about individuals, but groups of people working together to make change happen.
“In part, it’s making sure that we join together across neighborhood barriers and class barriers and ethnic and racial barriers," she said. "We have got to quit living in our bubbles, cause we are stronger together.”
By the end of the rally, many participants were hopeful that the movement was gaining momentum, but feared that change was also still far on the horizon.