THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
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INSIDE Testimony reveals more about the chaotic aftermath of the Oct. 1 shooting
Leaving KU, Laura Kuhn will never forget her time
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vol. 136 // iss. 3 Monday, Jan. 22, 2018
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SEE KUHN • PAGE 10
Celebrate, support, protest Why more than 1,000 people gathered downtown Saturday in support of women’s rights
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Protestors march into downtown as they cross the intersection of 11th and Massachusetts streets on Saturday afternoon.
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Some protestors march happily with others, celebrating sisterhood during the Women’s March on Saturday afternoon. LARA KORTE @lara_korte Over 1,000 people flooded downtown Lawrence on Saturday afternoon to celebrate a year of activism and to offer a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump, one year into his tenure. The crowd included men, women, non-binary folk, children and even dogs, many wearing the iconic pink “pussyhats” and bundled up under an overcast sky. With signs, flags and banners, they gathered in a muddy South Park to listen to activists and politicians before marching down Massachusetts Street to Lawrence City Hall. The march was organized by the February Sisters, a Lawrence-based organization named after the women who were active in the 1970s struggle for women’s equality at the University. “We really want to celebrate,” said Christine Smith, 73, a February Sister and one of the organizers of the march. She said over the past year, the country has
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Protestors march toward Massachusetts Street, preaching ideas of love and acceptance.
“There is this air of understanding amongst everyone, that we’re all kind of here for the same reason, we’re here to support each other.” Ashley Philavong Wichita freshman
seen women come out in droves to run for office and work on campaigns. “We’ve done a good job and we need to say to each other ‘Gee, we’ve done a good job.’” The march in Lawrence was one of hundreds happening Saturday across the country in cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Many of those attending the Lawrence event came from surrounding towns such as Overland Park, Lenexa and Kansas City, which did not hold marches. “There is this air of understanding amongst everyone, that we’re all kind of here for the same reason, we’re here to support each other. I really love it,” said Ashley Philavong, a freshman from
Wichita. Philavong said she thinks the culture shift that has happened in the past year has empowered women to share their experiences. “I fully believe in being visible and being transparent, and I feel like we’re slowly getting into a mindset where we’re allowed to speak about things we believe in and to speak about the different experiences we have,” she said. After listening to testimonies from local politicians, poets and religious leaders, the crowd began marching north toward city hall, hoisting signs that read things like “Still here, still nasty, still voting,” and “Nasty women make herstory.” For some, the march was
a repeat of last year when people around the world gathered to protest Donald Trump’s presidency in light of the sexual assault allegations against him. For others, like Jennifer Hendricks, a freshman from Overland Park, it was their first time marching for women’s rights. “I came out just because I want to support equality for everybody and show that I’m not afraid to stand up,” Hendricks said. It took about an hour for the entire crowd to march from the park to city hall and back again. They marched elbow-to-elbow on the sidewalks, chanting things like “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA,” and “People united will never be divided.” Some, like Andrew and
Meghan Wieten-Scott of Lawrence, brought along their children in hopes of inspiring the next generation. “I think it’s really important for him to see positive energy and to see that what’s going on in our country is not OK,” Meghan Wieten-Scott said of her 5-year-old son, Matthew, who sat atop his father’s shoulders holding a sign that said “Can’t build the wall, hands too small.” By 3:30 p.m. the march began to dwindle as people left the sidewalks and returned to their cars, some milling about South Park talking with one another. Smith said she hopes the march encourages people to find ways to be involved in their own communities. “I want people to go back to wherever they call local, wherever they’re from, and do something,” she said. “I want women to be enthusiastic and want to work together on whatever issues they need to.”