NEW YORK — At the Women’s March rally in Manhattan’s Foley Square on Saturday, the controversy was evident from the beginning. As Women’s March NYC director Agunda Okeyo addressed the crowd, which appeared to number in the hundreds, an audience member shouted, “The Women’s March does not represent Jewish people! The Women’s March is the real Nazi Party!” The interjection came as the leaders of Women’s March Inc., one of the organizations that grew out of the first march in 2017, face allegations of anti-Semitism. Women’s March NYC, which organized the Foley Square rally along with the New York Immigration Coalition and other local groups, is affiliated with Women’s March Inc. I’ve been reporting on the controversy in the runup to the march, and I came to the rally on Saturday to see how — if at all — it was affecting women’s decisions about being part of the Women’s March movement. Okeyo followed the interruption with a call for unity. “This is not a negative day,” she said. “What we’re doing today is we’re going to uplift each other and we’re going to make sure we stay positive. I want to hear my Jewish family,” she added, to cheers from the crowd, which appeared to number in the hundreds. Agunda Okeyo the director of Women’s March NYC is a Pan-African New Yorker who knows how to get stuff done. We applaud her for leading the charge with the policy platform and this rally! #WomensWaveNYC pic.twitter.com/WvA42Cpmox — Women's March NYC (@WomensMarchNYC) January 19, 2019 Even before the moment of discord, many of those braving the 30-degree weather in Foley Square were fully aware of the controversy surrounding this year’s march. But they said they still supported the movement’s larger goals, like gender and racial justice and opposition to the policies and rhetoric of President Trump. Erica Edwards, for instance, who attended on Saturday with a sign reading “Las Vidas Negras Importan” (“Black Lives Matter” in Spanish), said she had heard that the national organizers had made controversial remarks. But, she said, “I still believe in what I stand for, which is equity, real justice, and getting this guy impeached.” Women were aware of the controversy around the Women’s March. But they still supported the movement. Criticism of the leaders of Women’s March Inc. has been building since February 2018, when co-chair Tamika Mallory attended the Nation of Islam’s Saviours’ Day event, where leader Louis Farrakhan made anti-Semitic remarks. In December, Leah McSweeney and Jacob Siegel of Tablet reported that Mallory and fellow co-chair Carmen Perez had made anti-Semitic comments themselves at Women’s March planning meetings, according to others who were in attendance. In the wake of the allegations, the Democratic National Committee and progressive groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center have distanced themselves from Women’s March Inc. Meanwhile, other groups, including March On, which focuses on helping progressive candidates win elections, are hosting marches and other actions today that are separate from those organized by Women’s March Inc. A group called the Women’s March Alliance, which organized the 2017 and 2018 marches in New York, organized a march on Manhattan’s Upper West Side that was separate from the Foley Square rally. “The controversy has people confused about whether or not they should march,” Vanessa Wruble, the executive director of March On and a co-founder of the first Women’s March on Washington in 2017, told me by phone. But, she said, “everyone should march. Doesn’t matter where you march, just march.” She added that many in the movement were turning from marching to other forms of activism: “A lot of people have turned from a reactive position of marching to a proactive position of either running for office or volunteering for a campaign or focusing on registering people to vote.” For some in Foley Square, attending the downtown rally rather than the uptown march was the result of a detailed decision process. Hannah Lundberg, a seminary student who carried a sign bearing the Bible quotation “Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the orphan, or the widow,” said she was concerned about the anti-Semitism allegations. But, she said, “it seemed like this rally was more focused on centering the voices of women of color” than the uptown march, “so we felt more comfortable coming out to this.” “We just wanted to show up at this one,” said Lilit Suffet, who attended with her friend Olga Aguayo. “I’m Jewish, and I wanted to be here. I wanted to show that not everybody agrees just because you’re labeled as one thing.” For some, the rally was an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with other women. “There are some forces that would divide the women’s movement,” said Katherine Profeta, “and I’m much more interested in not even necessarily overcoming our differences, but just not walking away from each other, and understanding how we should join together to support the cause.” Profeta said she had chosen to attend the Foley Square rally after reading a blog post by writer and Jewish educator Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, which stated that he would attend the rally. Mallory’s responses to questions about Farrakhan were at least partially satisfying to Profeta. “Tamika Mallory said she did not agree with all of his statements, but there are people holding her to a higher standard,” she said. “If she says she does not agree with his views, that’s enough for me to be in coalition with her, even if I don’t fully see eye to eye.” For attendee Whitney Hu, criticisms of Mallory had a gendered element. “I am always very aware of how we demand perfection from our female leaders and yet men are constantly forgiven,” she said. And for some, Mallory and the national leadership were somewhat beside the point. “It’s really important that we not allow internal noise to prevent people from coming out,” said Laura J., who asked that her last name not be used. “I am not here for Tamika Mallory.”<doc-sep>The third annual Women’s March took place Saturday as thousands of women gathered in demonstrations across the country that were much smaller than the original march that took place the day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. In the months leading up to this year’s march, which took place in Washington and in cities across the world, controversy has engulfed the movement amid accusations of racism and anti-Semitism. Once the march rolled around though none of that seemed to matter to those who decided to attend and demonstrate for women’s rights plus a multitude of other issues. “I came two years ago. It’s definitely smaller, but the spirit is very much alive,” a demonstrator tells the New York Times. “It’s a chance to march, to be with others who are like-minded, to be able to express my energy. People have a lot of say, and that doesn’t change.” Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As usual, many demonstrators went to the marches armed with funny and poignant sides. Here are some of the best ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement<doc-sep>For the third straight year, the Women's March will take place in several cities on Saturday. In 2017, millions made history at the first marches across the country. One million people rallied in Washington, D.C., alone. But this year, Washington organizers are expecting far fewer in attendance — around 10,000. Several factors have seemingly contributed to lower enthusiasm including weather conditions, a lack of funding and controversy. Women's March co-president Tamika Mallory appeared on "The View" this week, defending her association with Louis Farrakhan, top minister in the Nation of Islam, an organization designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center because of the "racist, anti-semitic and anti-LGBT rhetoric of its leaders." Mallory posted a photo with Farrakhan on his birthday in 2017, calling him the "GOAT," or greatest of all time. "Just because you go into a space with someone does not mean that you agree with everything they say," she said on "The View." The Capitol and Washington Monument are seen as demonstrators line the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial during the second annual Women's March, in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018. Cliff Owen/AP Certain chapters have canceled their plans for this year, citing concern over Mallory's support for Farrakhan and the group's refusal to remove her from its board. "The Women's March and the leadership of the Women's March unequivocally rejects anti-semitism, transphobia, homophobia, Islamophobia," organizer Linda Sarsour said. Sarsour said the current controversy is an inescapable part of building a big-tent movement. "Sometimes we'll have hard conversations but I believe in our potential as a movement and I'm not going to turn back on this mission of an intersectional women's movement," she said. Decline in participation is inevitable. But organizers do say their movement and the momentum helped lead to a record number of women elected to Congress.<doc-sep>All around the world, people were out in full force attending the 2019 Women's March. From Los Angeles to Berlin and Washington, D.C. to London, thousands upon thousands of people descended upon state capitals and cities both big and small to protest. Like years prior, many celebrities were in attendance at marches across the country. This year, Sarah Hyland, Lance Bass, Laverne Cox and others spoke in L.A. while Dancing With the Stars alum Evanna Lynch made a showing in London. Cox shared an excerpt from her speech on social media when she posted photos from the event. "The achieving of basic human rights, dignity, justice or equity for one group of people does not mean that something is being taken from another group," she wrote. "That's scarcity thinking and scarcity thinking will always drive us further from each other." Bass also posted on social media and said the Women's March in Los Angeles "did not disappoint!"<doc-sep>
The third annual Women’s March took place on Saturday, January 19, 2019, bringing people out into the streets of Washington D.C. and all around the world. The popular global protest had its first event on January 21, 2017 — the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration — and reportedly included approximately 4 million marchers across the country. While this year’s march reportedly attracted a noticeably fewer amount of protesters, the world-wide event still drew thousands of people, including celebrities like Laverne Cox and Adam Rippon, and politicians such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Despite its popularity, this year's Women's March was not without controversy. The organizers have faced allegations of anti-Semitism, and many former protesters have expressed their skepticism about participating in the third installment, while others continue to call upon the march to become more intersectional. Still, there were many powerful moments at the 2019 march, as people came out to support a host of issues ranging from LGBTQ rights to reproductive health. Other issues that were clearly on protesters’ minds included the government shutdown, impeaching Trump, and representation in Congress. As with previous Women’s March events, protesters came equipped with colorful signs and posters — many of which were soon captured and shared across social media. Ahead, check out some of the most powerful signs from the events — and then learn how to organize your own march or rally in your town, too. Let us slide into your DMs. Sign up for the Teen Vogue daily email. Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: