Thousands are set to gather in Washington DC to march ahead of Trump’s inauguration

Preparation for the People’s March

The Women’s March returns to Washington, DC on Saturday, eight years after its historic first march. The rally, now renamed People’s Marchaims to expand its support and reflect on the state of progressive organizing ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration for a second term on January 20.
In 2017, the Women’s March attracted over 500,000 marchers in Washington and millions more in cities across the country, marking one of the largest single-day demonstrations in US history.

The movement was fueled by outrage over Trump’s 2016 presidential victory.
This year’s march is expected to be significantly smaller, with attendance estimated at a tenth of the initial rally. The comparative silence reflects a sense of exhaustion and disappointment among progressive voters following Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Tamika Middletonexecutive director of the Women’s March, acknowledged the challenges of recapturing the energy of the first march, stating, “The reality is, it’s just hard to catch lightning in a bottle. It was a really defining moment. In 2017, we hadn’t seen a Trump- presidency and the kind of vitriol that it represented.”
The movement has undergone an overhaul to address accusations of a lack of diversity, resulting in this year’s rebranding as the People’s March. The demonstration will promote themes related to feminism, racial justice, anti-militarization and other issues and will conclude with discussions held by various social justice organizations.
Yes Regera sociology professor at Oakland University, noted that the People’s March is unusual in “the vast array of issues brought together under one umbrella.” While conflicting visions are inevitable in a broad-based social justice movement, Reger suggested that disagreement can bring change and new perspectives, especially from underrepresented voices.
Middleton stressed that the goal of Saturday’s event is not to recreate the massive demonstration of 2017, but to focus attention on a broader set of issues and encourage participants to continue fighting in their communities for the long term.