Fourth Ann Arbor Women’s March to be Held on October 8th, 2022

ANN ARBOR: On Saturday, October 8th, marchers from as far away as northern Ohio and central Michigan will gather at Liberty Plaza for a Women’s March in Ann Arbor, as part of a national action with over 100 events across the country. The 2022 March is named “Women’s Wave 2022.”

The event- including music, a rally, a march, and tabling by several student and community groups- will uphold social, gender, racial, economic, reproductive and environmental justice at a time when they are under serious attack.

Chelsea Bruno, one of the co-hosts and organizers, says of part of her motivation for organizing the march: “The Women’s March is an intersectional organization that fights for equity and justice for all marginalized individuals. With so much on the line for this upcoming election, it was important to me to join in the women’s wave day of action to get people out to vote and vote pro-choice. Our country is in need of serious change and as citizens, our strongest tool to push for change is our vote. I am honored to be able to co-host an event to get people excited to vote for positive change.”

Many marchers plan to wear blue to represent the Women’s Wave. Signs, posters, and banners are encouraged at this community event. There will be opportunities to make signs at the event itself. Attendance is expected to be strong with a few hundred registered to attend.

The event will begin at 4 pm with tabling from student and community groups, sign making, and music. At 4:30 the rally will begin with remarks by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell; Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib; Detroit-based author, radio host and activist Michelle Elizabeth Brown; Washtenaw County Commissioner Sue Shink; Katie Costello of the Reproductive Freedom Ballot Initiative; DNC Climate Council Chair and Womens’ March Ann Arbor Founder Michelle Regalado Deatrick; University of Michigan student and YDSA member Nat Leach; and March organizers. The march portion of the event will begin at 5:30. The march starts and ends at Liberty Plaza with organizers leading the crowd. At 5:50 the event will conclude with final chants and closing remarks from the organizers back at Liberty Plaza.

Women’s March Ann Arbor is sponsoring the March, and YDSA at the University of Michigan is a co-host. Women’s March Ann Arbor has organized over a dozen events since its founding in late 2016 in response to the 2016 election results, and organized the historic 2017 Rally and March in Ann Arbor. With this March, we hope to unite people of all backgrounds, creeds, economic classes, and sexual and gender identities to send a clear message that we stand together in this fight for justice through the power of our votes this November.

Michael Briggs, one of the co-hosts and organizer of past Ann Arbor Women’s Marches, states: “Women’s Rights are under attack. We must act now to fight for Reproductive Freedom, Environmental Justice, and a more compassionate future. Let’s exercise our freedom to peacefully assemble and speak truth to power. I’m grateful to everyone who joins us this Saturday to stand up for Women’s Rights. ”

University of Michigan graduate student Kate Napier, who is co-hosting and helping organize the event shares, “Bodily autonomy is a human right! We must remain vigilant as we fight for our collective liberation. Your voice is needed. See you on Saturday.”