Women's March events this weekend to focus on reproductive rights

With a focus on reproductive rights, people throughout the area and around the country will gather this weekend for the annual Women's March.

While the major local rally is taking place Saturday at Daley Plaza in Chicago, several suburban rallies and marches also are scheduled. Saturday events are taking place in Aurora, Buffalo Grove, Elgin, Glenview and Palatine, while a 2 p.m. Sunday rally is scheduled at Naperville's Riverwalk Free Speech Pavilion in memory of Rosie Jimenez, who died on Oct. 3, 1977, of complications from an illegal abortion.

Mary Ann Curtis, an activist with Radical Women, helped organize the Naperville Rally for Women's Rights. Curtis, who is in her 70s, said she's been advocating for women's rights for more than 50 years.

"This rally shows that people with different political perspectives can work together around common issues," said Curtis, who will emcee Sunday's event featuring speeches by U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, a Downers Grove Democrat, and state Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, a Naperville Democrat. "We don't have to agree on everything, but the power of people coming together is pretty strong."

Curtis and Buffalo Grove march organizer Carolyn Pinta hope for larger crowds than normal this year because of the recent Texas law prohibiting abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said the legislation was developed on a bipartisan basis to protect the unborn.

The Buffalo Grove march will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mike Rylko Park.

In addition to state Reps. Daniel Didech, a Buffalo Grove Democrat, and Jonathan Carroll, a Northbrook Democrat, Pinta's daughter Molly, a Stevenson High School student, is slated to speak.

"We thought about all heading downtown and having a mass of people there together, but for another year, especially with COVID, local is better," Carolyn Pinta said.

For details on Women's March events in the suburbs, visit womensmarch.com/.