DENVER – In less than two weeks, thousands of women – and among them, some men – will march again in Denver for “social justice, human rights, and equality for women and all marginalized people nationwide” for the Denver Women’s March in downtown Denver.
More than 1,300 people have already said they’re going to the march on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 starting at 9:30 a.m., with nearly 4,000 people saying they would be interested in participating as of Wednesday evening.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the Denver Women’s March this year:
1. Denver Women’s March 2018 begins at 9:30 a.m., but there will be rallies before then
Protesters will begin gathering at 8:30 a.m. in Civic Center Park. A pre-rally will begin at 9 a.m. at the Civic Center Park Amphitheater, and the Denver Women’s March 2018 will follow from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., after which the rally will begin.
2. The one-mile route for the Denver Women’s March will differ from last year’s
To reduce potential traffic problems during the Denver Women’s March, this year’s march will take on a different route:
The march will start in front of the Denver City and County Building (Bannock Street) and go south toward West 14th Avenue. It will then turn east onto West 13th Avenue until it reaches Lincoln Street. Once at Lincoln, it will turn north until it reaches East 14th Avenue. At that point, it will go east on 14th until it reaches Grant Street. Once on Grant Street, protesters will then head to Colfax and then turn west until it reaches Civic Center Park.
Our partners at the Denver Post have created this handy map to give you a better idea of the route:
3. The event is family-friendly; men and children welcome to attend
The Denver Women’s March 2018 makes it clear on the MarchOnColorado website that “men are absolutely welcome and encouraged to join us. Children are welcome, too.”
And yes, your well-behaved family dog on a leash are also welcome to attend.
Organizers said they would do their best to accommodate people “of all abilities” and will have reserved seating for those who cannot march but would like to support the cause that day.
4. Bring warm clothes, comfortable shoes and water to drink
The high in Denver is expected to be 50 degrees on Jan. 20 with 9 mph winds and party cloudy skies. You can expect temperatures to be much, much colder when the events begin just before 9 a.m.
Organizers recommend you bring some of the following to keep you warm during the event:
- Several layers of clothing
- Hat
- Mittens
- Scarfs
- Pocket warmers
- Water and snacks
5. Transportation to and from the Denver Women’s March 2018 rally
Our partners at the Denver Post report shuttles will ferry people from both Colorado Springs and Boulder into Denver for the march.
Boulder residents will be picked up at 8 a.m. and dropped off at the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse at 8:35 a.m. Colorado Springs riders will be picked up at 7:20 a.m. and be dropped off at Civic Center a little after 8:30 a.m. Shuttles are scheduled to take people home at 5 p.m.
The Boulder shuttle costs $40 and the Colorado Springs shuttle costs $50. You can sign up by clicking here.
It’s not clear if RTD will deploy extra buses and light rail during the Denver Women’s March, as was the case last year.
6. Several speakers already lined-up for Denver Women’s March 2018
The Denver Post reports this year’s theme will be “Hear My Truth.” Speakers include Soul 2 Soul Sisters’ Rev. Tawana Davis, Colorado People’s Alliance’s Ana Rodriguez and Shinn Law Office’s Emma Shinn.
7. The Women’s March movement will not be going away any time soon
Organizers for the event said in their mission statement, “Until we have socioeconomic justice, and are active participants in a government that works for all of us, there is a reason to march.
“Last year’s March demonstrated the power of women’s voices, and many women were galvanized to run for public office as a result. We believe it is important to continue the momentum created in part by the Women’s March, and serve as a forum for women and allies to express their intention to create real and significant change in our society.
"I think the march galvanized me"
Lisa Cutter, a board member of the Women's March on Colorado, said she was surprised by the lasting impact of last year's march.
"I think the march galvanized me," she told Denver7. "I think what it said to me is that people in our community are ready for more women's voices, that it's time we started claiming that space and have an equal space at the table."
So Cutter decided to run for office, the House District 25 seat.
She said she feels strongly about having an open and transparent government, people being paid a livable wage, housing that's affordable, more funding for education and a clean environment.
Cutter said there are many people who are not happy with the direction of the country and the things the President is doing, but adds she doesn't want people to focus on the negative.
"I'm stepping up to run for office," she said, "but you can write letters, volunteer for a campaign, volunteer in your community, or step up to do something to make the world better. That feels better than complaining," she said.
Other Marches
Marches are also scheduled to take place in Aspen and Colorado Springs the same weekend.
Last year’s Women’s March brought more than 100,000 people to downtown Denver. Organizers of this year’s march told the Denver Post they could see double the amount.
