March on Washington, January 21, 2017
Photo by Frances F. Denny
For many Americans, protesting Trump has been both a necessary and empowering weekly event in this otherwise bleak political climate. The Women’s March on Washington offered encouragement and a sense of solidarity for the millions of Americans who see Trump’s presidency as a threat to women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, immigrants, and many progressive ideas. But since then, it’s been difficult to find out about other similar mass demonstrations taking place shortly. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 5 upcoming national marches happening in D.C. and other cities around the country. Check them out!
1. April 15: Tax March
Since Donald Trump refused to release his tax returns, rejecting a long-held precedent for all presidential candidates since Nixon, tax paying Americans will march to protest this decision April 15, tax day. Contrary to the White House’s understanding that Americans no longer care about this, Gwen Snyder, organizer for the national March, explains that this is to protest “the absolute unfairness of a man who is a billionaire president who might be not paying taxes while working folks are paying their fair share.”
There are already 30 marches planned around the country in solidarity. According to Facebook, arguably the most powerful coordinating tool used to organize marches to date, the D.C. page shows 46,000 protesters interested or attending, the Los Angeles event page has 66,000 interested or attending, and the New York event page has 39,000 planning to be part of the march in some way.
But if you’re not near any of these cities, don’t worry. Check out the official Tax March website to see if one is planned near you.
March on Washington, January 21, 2017
Photo by Frances F. Denny
2. April 22: March for Science
Not even one full month into his presidency, Trump has already attacked the EPA and said that all scientific research might face “case-by-case” review by his team. This seems like something you would read in Orwell’s haunting classic 1984, but rest assured it could happen in 2017 if this goes into effect. Jonathan Berman, a University of Texas Health Science Center postdoctoral fellow and March organizer explains that, “The March for Science is a demonstration of the widespread public support for the scientific method, the enterprise of science (including science communication and education), and the use of evidence as the basis for good decision-making by our political leaders.”
To help humanize scientists and show that they’re both necessary and accessible, there will be “teach-in” tents in D.C. where scientists will present their research and its significance for the public.
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3. April 29: People’s Climate March
One week later, the People’s Climate March will take place in D.C. Since 2014, the People’s Climate March has been an activist event to advocate global action against climate change. The first year it had over 300,000 attendees in New York City and this year there will most likely be more in D.C. Paul Getsos, national coordinator for the People’s Climate Movement, emphasizes that “It’s not just a march in reaction [to the election results]. We planned this march back last fall before the election. Our goal was to move whoever is our president to be big and bold on climate.”
Despite plans for the March starting well before the election, Getsos does note that now under Trump, their demands are different than they would be if Hillary had won. In addition to attacks on initiatives seeking to slow down climate change, Trump has also threatened women, people of color, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, and many other marginalized groups. Getsos explains that the March will also focus on climate change rooted in racial and economic justice and that they’re looking for a reaction from the administration.
There will be sister marches all over the country, and although official information about the location and route of the D.C. March hasn’t been announced yet, the Facebook event page has nearly 15,000 marchers interested or attending.
4. May 6: Immigrants’ March
Not even two weeks after the Inauguration, Trump signed an executive order to build the wall on the Mexican border and drafted a ban preventing immigrants and refugees from 7 Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. He’s repeatedly incited fear of Muslims as potential connections to ISIS or other “radical Islamic terrorists,” and there aren’t any plans to make immigrants or refugees who have called the U.S. home for years feel welcome or safe. Erick Sanchez, whose father is Iranian and great-grandparents are Mexican, began organizing the March as soon as he found out about Trump’s plans.
According to the March’s event page, nearly 190,000 people are interested in the event, and the idea is quickly gaining momentum in other cities. There have already been protests in Boston, New York City, and Dallas, and sister marches will most likely take place around the country in May.
As Sanchez says, “At this point, with every constituency who gets targeted and harmed, I think it’s important we come together and organize and align.”
5. June 11: National Pride March
June is National Pride Month, so it’s fitting that the National Pride March will take place then. David Bruinooge, an activist based in Brooklyn, was inspired by the Women’s March on Washington to make a Facebook event page for the LGBTQ community to follow up on the momentum in D.C. With the Trump administration’s repeated threats to the gay community, there’s a growing need to make Pride Week into even more of a national movement, which is what Bruinooge has discovered in organizing this.
But not all feedback for the March has been positive. Some in the gay community feel that the March will interfere with long-planned Pride events spanning the whole week, as well as the participation of nonprofits who depend on these events. But Bruinooge stresses how his intention was never to undermine any Pride Week events, but rather to add to them and help bring more attention to the need for LGBTQ rights.
Although this particular Pride March will take place in D.C., there will undoubtedly be sister marches and events throughout the country.
After the enormous success of the Women’s March, we’ve seen the organizing power of grassroots progressive movements. It’s now time to continue building and strengthening our voices and messages and march on.
March on Washington, January 21, 2017
Photo by Frances F. Denny
Photos by Frances F. Denny
Frances F. Denny (b. 1984) is an artist and photographer whose work investigates the development of female selfhood and identity. Her work is represented by ClampArt in New York City. Radius Books published Frances’ first monograph, Let Virtue Be Your Guide, in the spring of 2016. She is the recipient of a 2016 NYFA Fellowship in Photography, and has won numerous awards, including PDN’s 30: New and Emerging Photographers to Watch, PDN’s 2015 The Curator (for Still Life), LensCulture Emerging Talent, Magenta Foundation Flash Forward, and Critical Mass 50. She holds an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design, and a BA from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University. Her work has been featured by The New York Times/Women in the World, Art New England, Dazed, The Humble Arts Foundation, PDN, and A Women’s Thing. Frances lives in Brooklyn, NY where she balances her art practice and a career as an editorial and commercial photographer.