Boston, MA (PRWEB) December 20, 2016
The Massachusetts Chapter of the Women's March on Washington (WoMaWaMa) today announced that, thanks to a multifaceted readiness campaign, they now have over 8,100 registrants. This is the second most number of registrants of any state participating in the Women’s March on Washington, which will be held on January 21, 2017. The march is expected to draw 250,000 nationally and is part of a growing international grassroots movement designed to send a clear message on the first day of the new administration that women’s rights are human rights.
WoMaWaMa has created a number of ways to get 10,000 Bay State marchers to and from DC safely, including:
- A centralized website with bus, organizing, and other march-related information. tiny.cc/womawama
- Twenty lead organizers responsible for organizing each county and large metropolitan area.
- Daily communications via email, Facebook and social media. The WoMaWaMa email opt-in list has more than 5,000 contacts.
- An information page with bus times by city of departure using crowd sourcing technologies through Skedaddle and Rally Bus. Over 30 buses are being tracked and publicized. The schedule is posted at: tiny.cc/womawama/getting-to-the-march.
- A partnership with Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts to raise money to provide financial assistance to support women traveling to the march who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to go.
- The state is the first to offer themed clothing as a fundraiser to support women getting to the march and to build an organization after the event: https://teespring.com/stores/womawama
“We’re inspired by the work of Massachusetts,” says Mrinalini Chakraborty, Lead Coordinator for Illinois and National State and Global Coordinator for the Women’s March on Washington. “The leaders in Massachusetts have created a scalable, effective infrastructure in a matter of days. We love sharing ideas back and forth with Tami Gouveia and her team.”
“Our registrant and participation levels are second only to New York,” says Senator Jamie Eldridge. “I am excited to see that Massachusetts is once again a hotbed of independent thinking and precedent-setting leadership. I encourage residents to sign up, and more importantly, to attend the march. You can make a difference.”
However, the reason for the traction in Massachusetts goes far beyond operations and logistics. According to WoMaWaMa leader Tami Gouveia, “In Massachusetts, we’ve found that being inclusive is crucial. Our entire approach emphasizes diversity and inclusion. We were the first to announce a truly diverse team. We feel like that was critical for our success in attracting so many supporters.”
To date, WoMaWaMa has 8,000 registrants for the March on Washington. Their goal is to achieve registration levels of more than 10,000. To that end, the group continues to encourage women, men and families to join the march. To learn more and register today, visit tiny.cc/womawama.
RELEVANT QUOTES #WhyIMarch
Acton, MA
Tami Gouveia, Lead Organizer, WoMaWaMa
“So many women – Muslims, Latinas, women of color, indigenous, disabled, low-income, lesbian and transgender women – were insulted by the rhetoric of this year’s election. Marching in solidarity with women from diverse communities is a vital step toward healing the divisions that have been created over the years. I am so proud of the Massachusetts Chapter and all our efforts to lead in the fight for equity and justice for all.”
Acton, MA
Nicole T. LaGuerre, State Co-Leader, WoMaWaMa
“Originally from Jamaica and proud of it, I became a US Citizen so I could vote in the last election. I have always been attracted to fighting for the rights of women. Now, I am inspired by all the activists before us and those currently fighting for social justice, equity, and human rights. We won’t rest until women have parity and equity at all levels of leadership in society. It’s an inclusive and exciting group. Being part of it is the most fun I've had to date.”
Pittsfield, MA
Rupal Parmar, AFDP, State Co-Leader, WoMaWaMa
“As a first generation Hindu American, I have worked hard to break from tradition and create my own journey. I know first hand the struggles Hindu women face to obtain freedom. I support the march for the belief that we are all equal and deserve to live in a kinder, more uplifting world free of hatred.”
Cambridge, MA
Johanna Schulman, State Co-Leader, WoMaWaMa
“My wife and I were the 19th same-sex couple in the country to be granted a marriage license. It is not overly dramatic to say that our well-being, safety and—for some of us—our very lives are on the line. The election of this President has emboldened racists, xenophobes and misogynists to come out of the shadows in disturbing and dangerous ways. I’m not afraid of a long fight. We’ve done this before and can do it again. And besides, the Massachusetts team is a joy to work with.”
Newton, MA
Christina Bauer, Marcher
“Women across the US are worried about how their families will pay the bills. Yes, we’re marching for tolerant language, but we’re also laser focused on the language of campaign promises, too. We must hold folks accountable for policies that drive true economic growth. I’m originally from Buffalo, NY, an area that’s been called ‘the buckle of the rust belt.’ We’ve rebuilt our economy—as have other regions such as Cleveland—but those proven strategies haven’t been put forward as part of a comprehensive post-election policy to help areas that are facing hardship. With this march, women have a voice. We won’t be quiet until things change.”
Somerville, MA
Shuo “Jim” Huang
"I, like many people of color I have felt constantly on edge after the election. Seeing the various rallies of support – like at the Greater Boston Islamic Cultural Center last week and the Women’s March on Washington – make me feel safe and like I can finally let my guard down. These events for solidarity make me realize that a lot of people truly had both my back and the backs of others when/if things get really bad."
ABOUT THE MARCH
The Women’s March on Washington is on track to be the largest demonstration ever in response to a presidential inauguration. Sister marches are being planned in Boston, Pittsfield, and Worcester on the same day for those who are unable to make the trip to D.C.
For more information about the Women’s March on Washington – Massachusetts Chapter:
Website: tiny.cc/womawama
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/589686194556600
Twitter: @womawama
Instagram: /womawama
FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Tami Gouveia
Lead Organizer
Massachusetts Chapter of the Women’s March on Washington
Massachusetts(at)womensmarch(dot)com
978-844-6870