Around 11:30 this morning, numbers were few at Ellwood Park for the local Women’s March.
Jen Brooks, the Amarillo March’s Organizer says, “I thought it would be me and two people walking down the street with a piece of cardboard. It won’t even look like a march and then we’d go get a burger.”
But by the March’s start time more than an hour later, those few people turned into hundreds.
Organizers say this is because of the event’s inclusiveness and not just about being anti-President Trump like other marches around the country.
“This march is a non-partisan, all inclusive march for equality,” says Brooks. “There has to be more middle ground. We’re not talking to one another and I think this is the beginning of a conversation between all people who want to look to move forward and not go backward.”
Don Goetz, one of the nearly 700 marchers says, “I’m pleasantly surprised there are this many people. I think likewise because of the area we live in people are so excited to see people with the same viewpoints as them.”
Though named for women, plenty of men joined today’s protest.
Jerri Glover, who says she’s a concerned citizen says, “I’m actually just protesting for equality for everybody. As my sign says, ‘Equality hurts no one,'”
Nate Sullivan, another marcher says, “There’s a threat out there that women may not have the rights they’ve always had. There’s a threat to just simple equality for men and women in our country these days.”
Marcher Rebecca Kennon says, “Equal pay for equal work, and general equality for women.”
But it was also about coming together.
Marcher Meredith Frigo says, “I actually just heard about this, this morning from her. But, I’m just kind of bringing awareness of being in unity and stronger together type stuff.”
Cyn Palmer, another marcher says, “I’m all about people coming together and talking and having dialogue that’s reasonable and sensible and finding common ground.”
