Sister marches coinciding with Women's March on DC

Thousands will march Saturday in Washington to send a message to Congress and the new Republican White House over their concerns about the threat of women's rights being rolled back.

In the months since the grassroots effort announced it would rally in Washington the day after Donald Trump's inauguration, more than 600 "sister marches" have formed across the country and in several other nations, including United Kingdom, Japan and South Africa. This includes in Newark, where more than 300 people have said they would be attending a sister march organized by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark.

"There is concern globally that the next president and his followers want to undermine our government, eliminate environmental protections and roll back human rights," said Donna Shand, who organized the Newark event. "We want to send the message to the next president and to members of Congress and the Senate that we are organized, vigilant and we will not allow them to destroy the government or the environment or to take our rights away."

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In the last two days, the number of sister marches has nearly doubled as more people commit to events across the world. Organizers said the marches are bringing together people of all backgrounds, religions, gender identities and abilities. While led by women, all are welcome to attend the marches. More than 300,000 people have signed up on Facebook to attend local marches, in addition to about 200,000 who have said they will attend the Women's March on Washington.

"Sister rallies are an integral part of our movement," said Angela Anacay, the lead organizer of Delaware marchers heading to Washington. "One of our biggest messages is unity. We stand together to defend the most marginalized, to ensure women's rights move forward not backward, to recognize and honor all those who have come before us and fought for women's rights, human rights, justice and equality.

"The rhetoric of the last year has held many threats to the diversity and inclusion of our nation," Anacay added. "This rhetoric can have a global impact. Our sister rallies, nationally and internationally, are the perfect illustration of our unified front in saying we are here. And quite simply 'here' is everywhere."

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Part of the reason for holding the local sister march in Newark is for people who can't make the trip to Washington, said Shand, who counts herself among those unable to make the trip because of back problems.

"It's for people who can't make it to D.C., but still want to participate and people who don't have the mobility for an all-day march," she said. "This is something tthey can come to."

Each sister march will have its own program, according to national organizers. There are plans for a verbal "human mosaic" in California's Napa Valley; a march in Maui, Hawaii, will begin with a moment of silence followed by a Hawaiian blessing; and in Birmingham, Alabama, marchers will gather at the 16th Baptist Church, where on Sept. 15, 1963, a bombing killed four African-American girls.

The Newark events will start with a candlelight vigil at 9 a.m. inside the UUFN, located at 420 Willa Road. That will be followed by a 2.4-mile march that starts at 10 a.m. While attendees march, non-marchers can stay at UUFN to view the broadcasts from Washington and participate in a letter writing project, organizers said.

Following the march, a rally will take place at noon at the UUFN. People attending the rally can hear from speakers such as Darlene Battle, Delaware Alliance for Community Advancement director; the Rev. Cynthia Robinson of New Ark United Church of Christ; and the Rev. Andrew Weber of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark.

Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.