By Susan Bromley
Staff Writer
Local women marched in Washington, DC and Lansing last weekend, motivated for various reasons.
Danell Duff, a Groveland Township resident and survivor of sexual assault, is offended that so many Americans supported Donald Trump as president, a man accused of sexually assaulting women and who repeatedly dismissed his comments about grabbing women’s genitals as “locker room talk.”
Duff, a wife and mother of two that holds a law degree, has volunteered as a court-appointed special advocate for abused and neglected people, had multiple other reasons for marching as well, including defending the rights of those who have been marginalized, such as members of the LGBTQ community.
So she got on a plane from Detroit to Indianapolis, Ind. and made the nearly 600-mile journey in a minivan to DC beginning Friday morning from there with five others.
“The nice thing about driving from Indianapolis to DC, is we saw other women and families and groups that were going to the march,” said Duff. “At every rest area, there were pink pussy hats and everyone was supporting each other, which added to the experience.”
They arrived Friday night in DC, staying at an airbnb, and taking a packed Metro train to Union Station Saturday, arriving at the rally at about 9:30 a.m., wedged into a spot near the National Museum of the American Indian among thousands of women, men, and children.
Crowds at the Washington march have been estimated to be more than 500,000, part of the largest protest in American history, as people marched in cities all over the country, as well as on six continents.
Duff and her friends could not see or hear the rally speakers from their vantage point far back in the massive crowd, but her attitude, as well as that of the people around her, was that they didn’t need to see the speakers, what they needed was to be seen by their fellow Americans and those in power, as people rising up against wrongs.
“One thing I really wasn’t expecting was people in their late 70s and early 80s and I thought, ‘How are they doing it?’” recalls Duff. “Seriously. I was like, ‘I’m so happy to see you here.’”
Near to the rally stage was Heidi Barckholtz, 43, a former Ortonville resident and village clerk who now resides in Clawson. The mother of two and grandmother of one was among a group of 10 women who rented a van and drove all Friday night to get to Washington, DC.
“I think for most of us, we all feel Trump has marginalized all the groups the march tried to encompass— minorities, women, the LGBTQ community,” said Barckholtz. “It’s the starting of unraveling of things we have worked so hard to get and maintain and he is disrespectful of that. For us, it was unity. We all just felt that what prompted us to go is this unprecedented election and things that were allowed and condoned and we weren’t going to sit back and say it’s ok to offend this minority, and this disabled person, and women.”
Barckholtz and her friends had no trouble hearing the speakers and she recalls some of the speeches really struck a note with her, particularly those by America Ferrera, Ashley Judd, Van Jones, and Michael Moore. Each brought their own perspective and passion to what she felt the march was all about.
Barckholtz marched with a sign stating her support of Planned Parenthood. There were many such signs, as well as ones demonstrating support of a wide variety of other causes— the environment, education, free speech, immigration, healthcare, and more.
Duff laughs as she remembers some of the signs she saw, including one that read, “You know it’s serious when the introverts are here.”
The demonstration was peaceful, Duff and Barckholtz agreed.
Duff said police seemed very supportive, and she saw marchers thanking the officers and stopping to talk to them. Overall, she felt a lot of positive energy from the crowd.
Duff was heartened by seeing that she is far from alone in her Democratic or “blue” values. She is a native of Indiana, historically a “red” state, or one that goes to the Republican candidate in presidential elections. While Michigan has been a blue state in presidential elections for years, it went red by a narrow margin in November and Duff notes that the majority of voters in Ortonville are Republican (Brandon Township voters typically vote about 65 percent Republican to 35 percent Democrat).
“When you’re in a red area, you need to surround yourself by blue every once in awhile,” said Duff, 48. “My takeaway was that there are more people like me than aren’t. If you live in a red area, you find yourself questioning— ‘Am I the minority?’ But I’m not. Hillary did win the popular vote. There are more of us than there are of them. I left there feeling energized. Do we need to do this once a month? I can do this every time Congress is in session.”
Melissa Francis, a Brandon Township resident, wasn’t able to make it to Washington, DC, but the single mother of five made a very spur of the moment decision to march in Lansing with her youngest son, Mark, after looking at her Facebook feed the day before.
“The day of the inauguration, I wasn’t going to watch anything, but I looked on Facebook and I shouldn’t have. I thought, ‘I have to do something.’”
She had some concern about things that might go awry, particularly as she had never protested anything, but told her son, “If things go sideways, we’ll run for the car.”
That wasn’t necessary, as Francis found, just as Duff and Barckholtz did in Washington, a peaceful rally and march in Lansing and one in which she felt uplifted to be around other people that are like-minded.
“I think I am a minority in Brandon Township, I don’t feel like people here share my views,” said Francis. “I don’t understand these women who say, ‘I don’t need a march, I’m treated equally.’ If you have it good, shouldn’t you wish that for others? If you haven’t been treated poorly, you need to realize that some people are, and there, but for the grace of God, go I, and have compassion and try to help them.”
Francis is concerned about the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act and losing a healthcare safety net, as well as the privatization of education, and tax dollars being turned into for-profit industries.
All three women, Duff, Barckholtz and Francis, say they are inspired following the march, and will take action in a variety of ways, either by donating money to organizations they support including the American Civil Liberties Union, Emily’s List and Planned Parenthood; by calling their senators and representatives; and joining organizations. Barckholtz was also signing a petition opposing Trump’s gag order on the Environmental Protection Agency.
“At this time I am watching to see what is the next thing,” said Francis, 52. “I’ve never wanted to be an activist, I don’t have time for this sh*t, I have a job. I don’t want to have to do this stuff, I want the world to run properly so I can do my job.”
Still, she recognizes that is not the world in which she currently lives and to make it so will require work she hadn’t planned on.
Duff notes much of the work for women’s rights was done before they came of age.
“I think my generation especially has forgotten to show gratitude for that, the benefits we receive,” she said. “How do you think you got those rights? That’s the problem with forgetting the generation in front of us… The march was needed as a reminder that there is still progress to be made. Women still don’t make as much (equal pay) as men. Why is it that college boys that rape women can spend only three months in jail because they have ‘potential’? We have a ways to go.”
Other voices from the march:
Age: 65
Residence: Portland, Oregon
Education: PhD
Occupation: retired, but former Science Director at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
What inspired you to attend the march?: I had originally planned to travel to Washington D.C. with a friend from Reno. We had served together in the Philippines in the Peace Corps 40 – 42 years ago. We planned to celebrate with her niece and my daughter and attend the inauguration of the first woman president. I had purchased my plane ticket only a day before the election. About a day after the election, when I might have chosen to exchange my airline ticket, I had already heard of the intended women’s march and immediately chose to attend the march. I was determined from the start that should work harder for the values equity and justice that were targets of attack, hatred, and hurt during the campaign that resulted in the current administration. On November 9th I wrote and posted the following:
I will not answer this day with hate. I intend to be kind. I intend to support others who are struggling with the implications of the campaign rhetoric that brought us here.
I still like Americans. I know many amazing, caring, passionate, good people. The diversity of my American friends and acquaintances enriches me every day. I refuse to let go of that.
I intend to hold love in my heart for Americans and others—persons of color, immigrants, those who first spoke a language other than English, those with disabilities, Christians, Jewish, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists, those who struggle with college debt or health care needs, those living in poverty, those with limited education, those working in multiple jobs and those unable to work or find work, those working into later years as they struggle to afford retirement, children from every walk of life, LGBTQ, women of every generation, men searching for their identity, those without homes, those struggling with physical or mental illness, the abused, the privileged trying to make a better world for others, persons of every shape and size, those who fight every day for the safety, education, and well-being of others, those who bring us the creative arts, those who build and repair our homes, bus-drivers, lawyers, park rangers, moms, service industry professionals, entertainers, and even elected officials, most of whom try to make our country a better place.
Marilyn’s personal post-election To do list:
1) be kind
2) hug friends struggling to be American
3) find places and ways to be compassionate
4) get sleep and stay healthy
5) laugh and be funny
6) continue to be a strong, nasty woman
7) support empowerment of women and girls
8) support empowerment of all those disenfranchised in our nation
9) dialogue with those who voted differently
10) work for social justice and a better country
What are the biggest issues for you currently?: While there are many things a find troublesome and quite frankly frightening, I am most disturbed by the implications of the campaign language and attitudes that have emboldened segments of society to be increasingly racist, homophobic, and bullies toward any one different than themselves. I greatly fear the collapse of the moral core of our country.
Today I also worry about the implications of repeal of affordable health care. I think about the people I work with every Saturday, providing food to those who live on the street. With the burden of excessive health care expenses, many persons become at risk of losing their health and ability to work, or losing their economic well-being due to burdensome health care costs for loved ones with chronic or severe illnesses. This is worsened by reduced access to birth control, preventive care, and mental health care. I fear that our growing homeless population will increase.
What about the march stood out to you? Things you liked or disliked? General observations of the event? The size and the peacefulness of the march(es), and the sheer audacity of women to pull this off in such a short time, was very inspiring for me. In spite of differences and angers and arguments over political and ethical correctness, there seemed to be an attempt to bridge divides and come together to make a powerful statement. Perhaps little six-year old Sophie Cruz was the most inspirational for me because she was not only articulate in two languages, but her voice was powerful, her family stood behind her, and she was the voice of the future.
Second, it was the speakers with suggestions of how to move forward that resonated. It is imperative that these messages of action be shared and utilized to continue grass roots work. I fear that many attending the march were unable to hear these messages due to the size of the crowd, or that many, like me, were unable to take notes and mark permanently in our memories the most inspiring and proactive messages.
What did you gain from attending the march/What were your take-aways? What do you think the march accomplished?: Women I know in Portland and around the country have been buoyed by the march and are more hopeful than they were in November. Many are being very intentional about how they will follow up from the marches; some young women I know have joined new organizations or scheduled action groups in their homes.
What is your plan to take action now?: I personally have been reflecting on the work of Maggie Kuhn and her Gray Panthers movement of the late 70’s. She inspired me when I was a young woman with her call to community action as liberating opportunity in later years of life. I reached medicare age the Monday of the march. I am 65. My voice comes with less barriers and risk than the young women burdened by work, motherhood, and the need to be present in so many ways. When I was in my late 20’s, I was a professor at Goshen College in northern Indiana. I was on the faculty committee to bring speakers to campus and was instrumental in bringing Maggie Kuhn. I remember how she said that instead of playing shuffle board in Florida, the gray-haired generation could raise their voices for justice at home. I find that the Women’s march on the week of my 65th birthday is a perfect intersection with my call to action from Maggie Kuhn about 35 years ago. And my hair is gray, though I often add streaks of fuchsia, teal, or purple. I currently work with a committed group of African American, Latino, and Native American people to cook and serve food to the homeless on our street every Saturday. Through this work I intersect regularly with a lot of people who feel the pain of the racism, the fear of deportation, the worry about affordable health and mental health care. I plan to continue this work and become more involved in the local politics that addresses these key issues.
Residence: Allen Park, Mich.
Education: Graduate of Wayne State University, BS in Education, MA in Art (Studio Art)
What is your plan to take action now?: In addition to calling and emailing my member of Congress, I am going to support and work towards the 2018 elections. I am also promoting, on social media, different organizations and groups that support a progressive and social justice agenda, the folks who are already working everyday.
Age: 73
Residence: Plymouth, Mich.
Education: Masters Degree in Public Administration
Occupation: Housing for People with Disabilities, including people with mental illness and developmental disabilities. I was the director of small non-profit that developed affordable, accessible housing for people with developmental disabilities.
Family: Married with two adult children and one grandchild.
What inspired you to attend the march?: The biggest issue for me currently is to preserve the Affordable Health Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid as well as Social Security. My husband has recently had some illness and relies on Medicare benefits. My daughter has mental illness and relies on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security for her survival.
What about the march stood out to you?: Things you liked or disliked? General observations of the event? The thing about the march that stood out for me was the spirit of the crowd, they were determined to have their voices heard. They were extremely disciplined and just waited to march Because of the overwhelming numbers more than half of the people just stood for 3 to 4 hours, they did not see anything or hear anything due to the limited number of jumbotrons available. Also, the people were very kind to each other and though they were packed back to back for long periods of time, they were all in good spirits, happy to be there. I liked the fact that that big a number of people could not be ignored, I disliked that it took me 45 minutes to weave through the throngs of people to get to the port a potty, which then had an hour wait.
What did you gain from attending the march? What do you think the march accomplished?: I gained renewed hope for the future by the numbers of people who came on our buses and the numbers overall that came out all over the world.
I took away the commitment to continue this struggle and to work to change the political landscape within the next two years. The people accomplished creating a unified voice that cannot be ignored. Now it needs to be turned into organizational effort for change.
What is your plan to take action now?: Right now I am going to invite people from our buses to my house to talk about future plans, you included!!!
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