On Saturday, March 8, thousands gathered in Grand Rapids’ Rosa Parks Circle for an International Women’s Day celebration and protest. Attendees and speakers protested oppression and discrimination facing women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, and advocated for international solidarity.
The International Women’s Day event was initiated by Lauren Coman, a Grand Rapids community member and mother that realized there wasn’t an event planned for the day. She decided to organize one herself, and collaborated with other mothers and city residents. Originally, she had coordinated the event with Fountain Street Church, but ended up moving the protest due to capacity concerns.
Those in attendance were addressed by multiple speakers, including members of the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Moms Demand Action and Women’s Health Collective. Grand Rapids State Rep. Kristian Grant, a member of Michigan’s Democratic Caucus, advocated in her speech for community action and voting in the interest of women’s rights.
Following the rousing speeches at Rosa Parks Circle, protesters took to the Grand Rapids’ sidewalks for a march. Those in attendance chanted, “Stand up, fight back” and “We are not going back” as they marched through the city. Protesters carried signs that read, “We will not back down” and “Women resist.”
The protest was in response to the reelection of President Donald Trump, many of whose actions have caused concern regarding women’s rights, reproductive freedoms, gender expression and security of voting rights. International Women’s Day originated in the early 1900s out of the women’s labor and suffrage movements. It has been celebrated on March 8 every year since 1917, when women’s protests en masse initiated the Russian Revolution. The holiday was recognized by the United Nations in 1977.
“We have people (attending the event that come from) different thoughts, feelings and emotions,” Coman said. “At the end of the day, I think we’re all just trying to gather together and say, ‘Hey, one common thing is we all support women. We would all not be here without women.’”
Coman emphasized the importance of collaborating at a grassroots level to initiate change. Her initiative to organize was backed by strong hopes to stir communal strength and support.
“There’s so much going on that not every organization can handle all of it,” Coman said. “The more people that can jump in and the more people that can use their voice and help raise awareness, we’re seeing that start to change things.”
Grant also elaborated on this in her speech, emphasizing the necessity of community-based actions.
“We won’t have a next time to stand up if we don’t stand up today,” Grant said. “We have to be the women and the people who support the women who are willing to stand up.”
Numerous speakers and protesters also addressed the need for international solidarity with women in Palestine, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to be strenuously waged.
“If you truly believe in liberation, then you believe in liberation for Palestinian women and children and families,” said Emerson Wolfe, one of the march’s organizers. “I recommend everybody get involved with a grassroots organization so they can put their feelings into action.”
Members of Grand Valley State University’s Progressive Student Union (PSU) also attended the event. Owen Frassetto, a member of PSU, emphasized the protest’s importance.
“Clearly, (Trump’s attacks) on women, LGBTQ+ rights, DEI and all these things have led to a massive resistance in every city, including our city (Grand Rapids),” Frassetto said. “It’s very important to come represent.”
The revelry of the International Women’s Day march spotlights how recent political actions have sparked feats of protest that are sweeping the country.
“We have to stand up as women, as mothers (and) as wives,” said one protester during the march. “We just can’t let this go on.”
