Thousands take to the streets in protest for 2nd annual Women’s March

NEW YORK CITY — Instead of the planned first year in office celebration in Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump marked the beginning of his second year with a government shutdown, and a nation in protest.

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the street in New York City to support the second edition of Women’s March.

A government shutdown and massive protests in 250 cities across the US, plus sister rallies overseas marked the end of President Donald Trump’s tumultuous first year in office.

From the East Coast to the West, hundreds of thousands of marchers including Filipino-Americans are sending a loud message to the president, blaming him for the government shutdown.

Some marched to support the dreamers instead of allowing the shutdown.

In a tweet by Saturday afternoon, Trump made the march about himself.

“A perfect day for all women to march, get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!”.

But Saturday’s women’s march is more about women’s rights.

New York’s governor said this year, New York state will pass the most progressive women’s agenda ever passed in the US.

“We’re gonna stand up and march, we’re gonna march today, and every day until we actually make change and reform society and stop it from happening so my daughter doesn’t have to live in the same society that abuses women,” said Andrew Cuomo.

Tony-winning costume and production designer Clint Ramos says, to be able to march and support women’s rights is meaningful.

“It means that I am able to support women and support the fight against everything, every crime that’s done against women, especially meaningful, because we’re able to do this as a family, with my daughter and my husband,” said Ramos.

Marchers say 2018 will be the year when all these hashtags #MeToo and #TimesUp are turned into votes come midterm elections.

That was the focus of the women’s marches in Nevada — a battleground state where a major toss-up between the incumbent Republican Senator Dean Heller and Democratic Congresswoman Jacky Rosen will play a big role in the 2018 U.S. Senatorial race.

“We need more women in Congress, we need more women in local political scene with women we are actually 53 percent of the total population so its about time that our voice is heard,” said marcher Jo Beck.

While in Oakland, CA, Fil-Ams joined the march to call out the injustice women are facing in the Trump and Duterte administrations.

“Our contingent today in oakland is called ‘rise against fascism, resist militarization, and unite for self-determination’ because we as women and Filipino-Americans here, need to really stand up and fight back against Trump and also against Duterte for exploitating and comodifying our women,” says Irma Shauf-Bajar.

The march is not over. These Pinays say they are marching again in February 14’s One Billion Rising and March 8th’s International Women’s Day.