Women's March Chicago draws thousands of women downtown

Thousands of women and their allies from all over from the Chicago area and nearby cities gathered in Grant Park, Chicago in support of women's rights, social justice, and civil liberties for the women. The march attendees descended on the streets of Chicago's Loop on Saturday, Jan. 18, and braved the cold and snowing weather.

This is the march's fourth year. The first march was held in 2017 in several places and major cities across the U.S., including New York City, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Seattle and Los Angeles. The first march was held the day after President Trump was inaugurated. Since 2017, the Women's March inspired hundreds of women to run for elected office and dozens won.

The march stepped off from Grant Park and started marching down to Columbus Drive and Jackson Boulevard, continuing to Dearborn before finishing at Federal Plaza.

Women flooded the streets of cities across the globe to harness and create transformative social change. We applaud you. We see you. We're with you.

Issues raised this year include the 2020 census, gun violence prevention, climate justice, access to health care, abortion, LGBT rights, women's rights and more.

Women's March activists from Chicago March said, "We came out to support all that is good about our democracy and to show support for those marginalized by this Trump Administration. This is a call for peace and break the cycle of endless war."

The purpose of the march is that women's rights are human rights. Thousands of women of all ages marched together. They gathered from small towns to major cities raise their voices.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. "Women's voices are very important, and we stand up for the things we deeply care about."

Many attendees said, "Today we march. Tomorrow we organize, and we educate, and we leverage our collective power for positive change. Every day we lead with love and strive for healing and liberation we join today against Trump Administration's proposed policies and plans."

Some demonstrators did not want to mention their name said, "We are marching in Chicago and around the nation, united against continued attacks on women, standing up for the dignity and rights of women. Our rights, our immigrant communities, and our planet."

A labor union representative said, "As a proud union worker, we are marching because we know unionism and feminism go hand in hand."

We have gathered women activists from all over the country to discuss organizing strategy, including women and long-term social justice. Many elected officials attending the march were Chicago Mayor Chicago Lori Lightfoot, Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, Sen. Dick Durbin, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, City Clerk Anna Valencia, Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, and many others.

Sponsors for this year's Women's March were SEUI Illinois State Council, Chicago Foundation for Women, Community Assistance Programs, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308, Lightfoot for Chicago, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, Kids Off the Block Inc., Planned Parenthood Illinois Action and several others.