UPDATE, JAN. 19: New meeting place, marching route. See here for details.

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From the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 1684:

The Women’s March on Eureka will be held Saturday, January 21, 2017, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The march will begin at 840 E Street Eureka and proceed down E Street, ending at the Humboldt County Courthouse with a rally.

The Women’s March on Eureka sprang up organically as a result of the recent election. Once a march was planned in Washington D.C., local women wanted to extend the opportunity to women who would not be able to travel to take part in this history-making demonstration. Local women will be marching in solidarity with thousands of others worldwide with hundreds of other coordinated marches.

To date, nearly 400 individuals are interested in the event, and nearly 200 plan to attend the local march, according to the event’s Facebook page:

“We hope to send a bold message to the new national and state administrations on their first day of office are not to be ignored,” said Tia Baratelle, organizer for the march. “We will stand together for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health and our families.”

The negative rhetoric and outcomes of the recent elections caused uncertainty and fear in women, immigrants, minorities those with diverse religious convictions, LGBTQIA individuals, those with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged, and survivors of sexual assault.

“We stand for women, but not just for women,” added Baratelle. “Our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country, and defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us.”
AFSCME Local 1684, the largest union in Humboldt County representing more than 1,100 public employees, is sponsoring the event by providing financial support and outreach for participants. Their generosity and dedication to the cause of social justice and public engagement has provided the financial support to make this march happen.

For more information on the march, rally and volunteer fair, check out the group’s event page on Facebook.