Women’s March returns to Olympia: ‘We’ll be here next year if we have to’

One year later, the pussy hats were back.

Thousands turned out for a rally at the Capitol in Olympia followed by a march around Capitol Lake on Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary of the Women’s March. About 200 similar events were scheduled across the country this weekend, including in Seattle.

Many in the crowd held signs that took aim at President Donald Trump, who marked one year in office Saturday: “Grab Trump by the Midterm,” “Rise and Vote” and “What Oprah Said.” There were signs supporting women’s rights, indigenous rights and the Black Lives Matter movement, signs supporting immigrants and LGBTQ people and health care for children.

State Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, told the crowd to be proactive, highlighting legislation at the state level this session to protect voting rights and transgender students.

“What have you done in the last year? What have you done since the last march? What do you plan to do this year?” she asked. “Let’s do everything we can every day we can in every single way we can, not just when it’s easy but especially when it’s hard.”

James and Kathy Rickard of Puyallup carried a sign that read “Build trust, not walls.” They carried the same sign at the Women’s March in Seattle last year.

“Nothing’s changed,” Kathy Rickard said. “It has been frustrating, but we have to keep going.”

James Rickard said a uniting theme of the day was anti-Trump. Another was activism, which he said he hopes continues beyond Trump.

Sophie Schroeder, a student at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, said one change from last year is that more women are running for political office.

“I think that is a big improvement from beforehand,” she said.

Saturday’s crowd was not as big as the one for last year’s Women’s March in Olympia, which was estimated at 10,000 people. Erica Fickeisen of Tacoma suggested “emotional fatigue” kept some at home.

She vowed not to let that happen to her.

“We’ll be here next year if we have to,” she said.

This story was originally published January 20, 2018 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Women’s March returns to Olympia: ‘We’ll be here next year if we have to’."