Women’s March January 21, 2017 in Oakland, California
Women of the World March
One day later on January 21, 2.6 million women marched in protest. I was among the thousands who marched in Oakland CA on this historic, along with 4 generations of my family, extended family, many friends and colleagues. It seemed to me the whole city was in the street despite the cold and threat of rain. Those in buildings along the march route hung banners, waved signs, banged on pots and cheered in support. Occasionally a policeman posed for a photo, donning a pink hat, symbols of Women’s fight back demanding respect from the new regime. At the end of the march my daughter found a shop that still had pink yarn so she could crochet us beautiful caps to keep our heads warm and inspire us to create a new and better world.
The next morning I wrote this two-part poem:
Women of the World March
January 21, 2017
By Nina Serrano
Women of the world
march in the name of Love
compassion inclusion and equality
Pushing strollers walkers and raising our voices
Texting each other in 600 cities
One foot in front of the other
To stop
fascism sexism racism homophobia misogyny xenophobia
and the continuing pollution of Mother Earth
Pink hats on premenstrual and post-menopausal heads
Babes in arms or on Dad’s shoulders learning
that freedom is a constant struggle
of a lifetime
Women of the World March
January 22, 2017
The morning after the women of the world marched
We remembered the 2011 Arab Spring protests
and the aftermath of a bombed-out
conflicted Arab world
So we know our daily work of resistance
and knitting together a new vision
has to continue
on computers phones streets
classrooms buses trains malls and kitchens
Demonstrating compassion kindness
Love and strength in our smiles
to realize our New Year’s resolutions
in action
© Nina Serrano 2017
MEDIA – For photos & interviews: Paul Richards (510) 967 5577; paulrichards@estuarypress.com
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