Organizers of the 3rd annual Women’s Rights March say they anticipate thousands of people to participate in Seneca Falls next weekend. This years’ theme is “Redefining Resistance, Women in the Lead.”
The non-partisan group is open to everyone who believes in equal rights for women and expanding upon their rights in the very birthplace of that pursuit through political activism. However, Lead Organizer Melina Carnicelli says the issues they’re fighting for is really for the greater benefit of all citizens.
“We are open to everyone who supports women’s equality in America and who are actively engaged in social justice for everyone in the country. So, there isn’t any one group that we’re looking to include specifically. We look to include everyone.”
She says the recent “blue wave” that also resulted in a jump of the percentage of women elected to Congressional seats from 20 to 23 percent was energizing force and she sends out gratitude to the women who ran. However, she feels the march is an opportunity to build upon that success and continue to work-on the issues that remain to further gain parity for women.
“So, that there is absolute equality in all of the issues that affect women, disenfranchised women (in) any way and also any kind of disenfranchised group in America. So we don’t see this as worked being completed or as worked being satisfied, we are continuing to work.”
Carnicelli says the Equal Rights Amendment is very close to becoming a reality. According to Equal Rights Amendment.org, the intent is to put an end to the legal distinctions that currently exist between men and women involving divorce, property, employment and other matters.
“There many people that I talk to on a regular basis who are not aware that the Equal Rights Amendment to this very day is not included in our US Constitution. Although it was introduced in America in Seneca Falls in 1923 by Alice Paul, an activist-feminist woman at the time. But, in this country as we speak, although it’s not been ratified to be in the Constitution, we are one state away from the two-thirds of the states needs to ratify the ERA and have it become part of the Constitution.”
She anticipates the event will likely be peaceful and respectful as in previous years. The morning begins Saturday, January 19th at 10 AM with a rally and the march step-off at 11:30 at Women’s Rights National Historical Park – First Amendment Space. Following the march a Feminist Music Fest will be held around 12:30 PM at Trinity Park. Event organizers advise to arrive early between 8 to 8:30 AM because traffic tends to back-up at the Waterloo Thruway exit closer to the event. Click here to be directed to their Facebook page with more details, updates and a schedule of events.
