Shannon and Elliott
My daughter and I will be marching for ALL WOMEN on January 21, 2017. I am retired from the Alabama Department of Education. My daughter is attending college. We live in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2015, after thirty years, my wife and I were finally able to marry, and I was also able to adopt our daughter — after nineteen years.
What are your fears?
First, we fear that women may AGAIN be relegated to the back seat of our country’s priorities. Second, we march for the First Amendment. It is being eroded by the hour.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
If wealth is the great equalizer, then how about equal pay for equal work? We know women earn roughly 77 cents to a man’s $1.00 for the same work. Why are we STILL having this conversation?
Have you ever attended any other marches or political events?
My daughter and I attended speech events in Selma proffered by presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008 — on the same day! It was magical and hopeful. We traveled over the famous Pettus Bridge and were able to watch both candidates reenact the civil rights march years after that battle was partially won. Unfortunately, the march is not over.
Do you have any reservations about attending the march? If so, why are you attending anyway?
We are marching in spite of potential liberty grabbers (who will be present, as well) and BECAUSE we oppose their methods. Our march will be fiery but peaceful, as Martin Luther King taught us. We are smart and determined to oppose transgressions against our freedoms as women.
We believe we live in the best country in the world. It is already great. We will send a message to our leaders that in order to continue to grow and thrive, we need loving, mature, intelligent, principled leaders. Women vote. We will vote for leadership that will guide us toward continued equality, peace, and prosperity.
How are you getting to D.C., and what challenges will you face to get there?
We are flying in from our respective locations. I had cancer last year but beat it. It will be cold. We will beat that too!
What do you hope the Women’s March on Washington will achieve?
Since 43% of our country did not vote and almost 3 million more people voted for the other, more qualified candidate, it is clear that there is NO mandate for the incoming administration. We have a default president. We hope to energize citizens to vote. In large part, we believe this election was a backlash against women and people of color.
I fully support my daughter’s right to march for a just world that honors kindness and truth — the best that is within all of us. We hope to achieve personal resonance with our sisters (and allies) of all faiths and backgrounds. We also hope to model for others the highest, most positive aspects of our shared humanity. Finally, we hope to encourage women to run for office!
[Editor’s note: This interview was conducted via email.]
