The March

"No one is equal until everyone is equal." A phrase that has been repeated many times throughout the past 24 hours here on campus.  I first heard it last night at a documentary showing of "March On" where activist Zoe Nicholson spoke concluding the video (highly recommend this documentary.  I was in tears multiple times throughout.).  It was out of the blue that I decided to go to the documentary showing and I am so glad that I did.

Then this morning there was a march all throughout campus with so many different groups of organizations and families (there were a couple of elementary classes on the march!) marching for what they believed in.  There were those from the LGBTQ club, those raising awareness of human trafficking, women's suffrage fighters, race equality fighters, and so many more.  The energy and atmosphere was unlike anything I've ever been apart of.  All the groups had their own chants they were yelling and those on campus stopped to watch and even join in.  

For me, it was so incredible to participate in a march where people had their emotions attached to their cause.  The spirit that they all carried was indescribable.  It made me want to walk alongside them on their fight for equality even more.  

While the march had many different organizations and people involved, the overarching purpose was of equal rights.  And I am so glad that I decided to go and stand up for equal rights; for unborn children, for gays, for women, for minorities, for different religions, for different races.  I wish that I could paint an accurate picture of the energy these people all carried--an energy that then rubbed off on me.  

I believe that if America is going to be land of the free and equal, then ALL groups of people should be equal.  To deny certain people their unalienable rights because of skin color, sexuality, etc. is not the way our Constitution was written.  So until ALL people in the land of the red, white, and blue are equal, I will continue to march/stand/protest/fight for true equality. 

My friend Bethany and I stopped to take the lady on the right's picture.  Bethany then asked her why she was marching, and she replied for the five women on her sign.  And then what do you know, the second lady from the right on the picture happened to be there.  It was absolutely amazing to hear her story and why she, too, was walking. 

Below is a video that I compiled with some of the same photos above as well as others not published on here.  The reason I made the video was to share with you a couple of the speeches by two of the student speakers.  I have had/am in a class with both of them, and was absolutely blown away by what they had to say.  To hear short snippets of their speeches, click below.  

My confession: I will continue to stand and fight for equality for all, because until then, none of us are equal.