Women's March On Chicago Organizers Announce Second Rally, For January

By Stephen Gossett in News on Oct 11, 2017 8:46PM

Organizers who helped marshal January's Women's March on Chicago into the historic, thousands-strong event it became announced this week a second march, to take place early next year downtown. The second action, dubbed "March to the Polls," aims to galvanize support for midterm-election turnout "and beyond."

The march is scheduled for Jan. 20. "As we approach local, mid-term, and gubernatorial elections in 2018, it's even more critical that women are engaged and involved," said co-organizer Jessica Scheller in a release. "If we want to see progress in this city, state, and country we need women's votes, voices, and leadership."

Iliana Mora, of the organization Women Employed, speaks at a press conference announcing announcing another Women's March for 2018. Photo by Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist

Organizers haven't announced a location yet for the rally, which "will also serve as a kick-off for programming that empowers voters to support women’s rights and social justice," according to the event website.

Co-organizer Jaquie Algee said that the fight for women's "is only becoming more crucial."

"In 2017, activists, new and seasoned, joined advocates in the fight for women's rights and social justice. In 2018 we celebrate that movement, and march our demands to the polls," said Algee in a release.

An estimated crowd of 250,000 people poured into Grant Park and downtown for the January rally earlier this year, one day after President Donald Trump was sworn into office. The march component of the rally was technically canceled, but crowds flooded streets nonetheless in peaceful protest. One component of the march brought up during and before the rally was maintaining the momentum evidenced by the turnout.

Be sure to hang onto your banners and posters for posterity.

Women's March on Chicago defines its support focus to include reproductive justice, affordable healthcare and childcare, racial justice, voting rights, LGBT rights, immigrant rights, fair wages, disability and environmentalism.

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