WATCH: Hundreds took to the streets in downtown Victoria Saturday to mark the anniversary of the Women’s March. Isabelle Raghem reports.
A crowd of hundreds walked from Victoria’s Centennial Square to the B.C. Legislature Saturday, as part of the city’s second-annual Women’s March.
More than 40 marches took place across Canada, including events in Vancouver, Nanaimo and in the Comox Valley.
“I believe the world needs to be changed,” said one marcher.
The organizers for Victoria’s March say the event that began last year in response to Donald Trump’s inauguration, has a new focus in 2018.
“This year’s theme is ‘Look back, March forward’,” said Victoria’s March lead organizer Cayla Naumann, “It’s really easy to point the finger at the U.S. and say they’ve made a lot of mistakes, but Canada has a lot of progress to make as well
“It’s a societal issue,” said a man attending the event, “Men have a big role to play in this and I think it’s important for guys like us to come out here and support the girls in our lives and in our community.”
“This is about anyone who’s felt oppressed systemically for one reason or another,” added Naumann.
It’s type of oppression Shayla Madrone knows far too well.
“It’s hard to be a mom and it’s hard to be a disabled person and it’s hard to be a mom to a person, a child who has different skin then me,” she said Saturday.
“[My son’s] been called the ‘N’ word a few times, and I’ve been called a ‘N’ word lover,” added Madrone.
Organizers say they hope today’s march will make for a better tomorrow.
Isabelle Raghem
