The fourth annual Women’s March was held at the BELIEVE sign in downtown on Saturday, Jan. 17. The march in Reno was just one thousand worldwide demonstrations. 

Many marchers who showed up fighting for indigenous rights, climate change, immigration reform and more. 

Marchers had the opportunity to hear from elected officials and meet with various presidential campaigns and U.S Congress hopefuls. 

Nevada Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson spoke at the event on issues ranging from climate change to equitable opportunities. 

“We made a profound change, and we hope to be a model for the rest of the nation,” she said. “We showed strength in how we lead, and we want the rest of the nation to catch up to Nevada and elect women, so we can have a positive change for our families, our communities and our state.”

According to the Reno Women’s March website, the march is meant to empower all women and break down structural obstacles. 

“The mission of Women’s March is to harness the power of diverse women and their communities to create transformative social change,” the website read. “Women’s March is a women-led movement providing intersectional education on a diverse range of issues and creating entry points for new grassroots activists & organizers to engage in their local communities through training, outreach programs and events. Women’s March is committed to dismantling systems of oppression through nonviolent resistance and building inclusive structures guided by self-determination, dignity and respect.”

UNR student Antonia Calzada said the march is a way for her to feel heard as a woman of color. 

“The women’s march gives women both in the United States and outside the borders a chance to be heard and to be taken seriously,” Calzada said. “Women are constantly being silenced and this march forces people to listen to us. To hear us and not push us to the side. I think it’s important to take away that women are the future. We’re not going anywhere and we demand to be heard and respected.”

Despite a national demonstration, Calzada said she is still worried about her future. 

“I feel as though people will continue to push us down and tell us, ‘You’re better seen and not heard’,” Calzada said. “I’m also worried people will continue to try and take our rights away from us. Make laws and legislation that completely violate us as people. That outcome can be detrimental for women all over.”

This year, the march marked and celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment being ratified in the constitution. 

The Nineteenth Amendment prohibited state and federal governments from denying people the right to vote based on sex.

Andrew Mendez can be reached at andrewmendez@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @Amendez2000