Boston Women’s March 2017

Me, visit web my best friend, my sister and her girlfriend attended the woman’s march in Boston on January 21, 2017. The last protest that I participated in was a protest for Trayvon Martin in 2013. It’s been awhile and it honestly was an amazing experience to see so many women marching for issues that affect them directly or affect people they love. I am a Black woman, my best friend is a Black woman and my sister is a Black lesbian woman. We showed up to represent demographics that we feel need to be represented. (Btw, my sister’s sign says, “Black Queer Women. We Exist, We Matter.” ) We showed up to stand for the Black women who can’t be there and who chose not to be there.

I logged onto tumblr after the march and saw a ton of the Black blogs that I follow bitching and moaning about these marches. Spewing that they refuse to march alongside white women who voted for trump or marching alongside white women who don’t speak up about issues that affect Black women. I also saw some posts saying “Where are the Black women marches, etc. etc.?”

One of the many signs at the Women’s March that called out the majority of white women for electing Donald Trump.

To be honest, it was annoying to see all of that. These marches are so white and there are no Black women marches because we aren’t there to march or organize them. Yes, we may not be the majority and there may not be a lot of us but you can still be PRESENT! Get off of twitter, tumblr, facebook and instagram and make shit happen. Any progress and effort is better than no progress and effort.

I, first and foremost don’t expect any woman who isn’t Black to speak up or address issues that affect me as a Black woman. You know why? Because they won’t understand my experience as a Black woman or be able to address these issues because they aren’t Black women. “WE” have to be the ones to speak up, organize, be present, march, shout, scream, etc.

These marches were not limited to a certain demographic. Yes, there were a ton of white women at these protests and while these white women and men are protesting for issues that they are passionate about, we can too! No one has stripped our rights to march, protest and speak up! While you have the right to do that, utilize it and DO IT!

As much time as we all spend online, on social media platforms addressing these issues, we can reach out to other Black women and make things happen. Our voices as Black women can be heard and they will be heard if you believe that they can. I believe we can make a difference if we empower ourselves and empower each other.

A few of the women who came together at the Women’s March.

Let those white women march alongside you, because you can march right beside them as Black women representing us all and letting them know that we are here. We are listening, we are watching and we MATTER!

Written by Stacey Hamilton

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