Life
7 Ways To Support The Women’s March If You Can’t Go IRL
The start of 2018 has been a whirlwind of good and bad vibes alike, but this weekend's coming Women's March is a hugely anticipated way to commemorate 365 days of resistance. The organizers of the first Women’s March in Washington, D.C., are planning to mark the anniversary of that march with an event called Power To The Polls. The main march this year will be held in Las Vegas on Jan. 21 (aka, this Sunday), along with local sister marches marches being held in various U.S. cities and countries throughout this coming weekend. Many of us, however, will not able to attend the march, whether due to work, weather (ahem, looking at you bomb cyclone), inaccessibility, or other reasons. If you are one of the people who can’t participate in person, you can still support the Women's March in ways large and small.
According to The Washington Post, somewhere between around 4 million people attended the Women’s March on Washington in 2017. Political scientists estimated 1 in 100 Americans marched across different cities in the United States. With sister marches also held across across the globe this year, millions of more people marched for women’s rights and other social justice issues, and in solidarity with American women. Though it’s uncertain of how many people will be attending this year's Women’s March in Las Vegas and in other cities, there is no doubt it will be just as powerful as the last. But if you're unable to make it, you can still easily celebrate a year of resistance. Here are seven ways to support the Women’s March if you can’t go in person.
1Rep Women's March Gear
Power to the Polls Artist Unisex Tee, $25, Women's March
Wear your activism on your sleeve — literally. All proceeds from the Women’s March shop will be donated to Women's March Nevada chapter to support their ongoing activist work. Not to mention, it gives you a chance to support female artists. This cool AF t-shirt in the shop was designed by artist Jean Munson, publisher of Plot Twist Publishing and founder of GRRLS (Girls Reaching Radical Levels of Success).
2Donate To The Women’s March Campaign
The Women’s March has a page dedicated to raising money to further the organization's activism. Donations will be used to advance the Women's March's campaign to increase voter registration in anticipation of the 2018 midterms coming up this November.
3Donate To Local Campaigns
If you want to see your money have a tangible impact on your local community, consider donating to your local Women’s March Chapter to use for future events and campaigns. Or, you can even donate to affiliated nonprofit organizations.
4Set a goal to register new voters in 2018
The theme of 2018 Women’s March is “Power To The Polls,” and the Las Vegas march will be used to “launch a national voter registration tour,” according to the March's website. So, even if you can’t attend the march on Saturday, you can invoke the spirit of the march by helping register new voters before the midterm elections in November.
5Watch The Livestream
If you really want to feel like you’re there at the Vegas march, keep an eye out for livestreaming of the event on the Women’s March social media pages. Participating and sharing videos from the event is an easy way to help the Women’s March trend online.
6Join In On Social Media
Much like sharing the livestream videos of the march, boost the message of the Women’s March by sharing your stories on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Repost photos, share hashtags, or even republish posts with calls to action.
7Read “Together We Rise”
If you are especially feeling nostalgic about 2017 Women’s March on Washington, you’ll probably love the newly released book “Together We Rise.” The colorful book will take a look back at the first march, and includes interviews with organizers and other pivotal figures from the march. According to the site, the Women’s March will share the proceeds with grassroots organizations The Gathering for Justice, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, and Indigenous Women Rise.
Even if you can’t participate in the Women’s March IRL, you can still find a way to support the march. Whether through social media, donating, and making a resolution to participate in the 2018 midterm elections, your participation makes a difference.
