Women’s March Modesto draws smaller, but passionate crowd in heated election year
With the presidential election looming, Women’s March Modesto returned for its fourth year in hopes of inspiring people to the polls.
What started in 2017 as a response to Donald Trump’s election has become a grassroots movement championing women’s issues and other progressive causes. The march drew about 1,000 its first year, and even more its second year before the midterm elections. Last year’s off-election year event drew around 400.
This year, on a chilly and foggy morning, the event drew about 200 who came with handmade signs, leftover pussy hats and passion for the upcoming presidential election. The march started at the corner of Briggsmore and McHenry avenues and ended with a rally at Graceada Park.
The Modesto event was one of hundreds planned across the country as well as the main national march held in Washington, D.C. Women’s March Modesto Chairwoman Patty Hughes said the smaller numbers locally shouldn’t be seen as a lack of support.
“It isn’t always quantity, sometimes it’s the quality,” Hughes said. “We’re enjoyed great attendance in the past years. I think now we have an excellent activist base. We’ve built this foundation over many, many years and that’s what’s most important.”
Speakers slated this year included many local politicians and government figures, including state Sen. Anna Caballero, Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman and Modesto City Councilwoman Jenny Kenoyer. Transgender rights activists and Planned Parenthood representatives also spoke and the rally had booths representing Democratic presidential hopefuls Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Tom Steyer.
This year’s participants included women and men, young and old, as well as many return marchers. Among them was Modesto Junior College student Alexandra Castro, 21, who came with a small group holding homemade signs. This was her third march, but for some of her friends it was their first.
“Hopefully this is the last one of these we have to attend,” Castro said alluding to the upcoming presidential election. “But we’ll do it for as long as we need to.”
This story was originally published January 18, 2020 at 3:50 PM.
