Women's March: Solidarity Anywhere, Anytime

Marching in Solidarity from My Home

Words by Mel Bikowski
Image by Morgan Barbour
​QuailBellMagazine.com

 I am a woman who lives in the Washington DC, but did not attend the Women’s March on Washington. But from the minute that I saw a Facebook event be created about the Women’s March on Washington to the very moment that I was at home watching it on TV, I have felt nothing more than completely involved with the rally to stand up for human’s rights, love, and peace. 

 
For months, I knew that I was going to be standing with women all over the country in Washington DC, on Saturday, January 21, and rallying for the message that we all want a better future for women around the world. I had invited a few friends to stay at my home for the march and I wrote a few letters to my senator (which if you would like to do, go here ) about the issues that I wanted to be addressed in the future administration like support for the NEA and climate change.
 
However, when it came to the start of the new year, I realized that I did not want to attend the Woman’s March. Not for any political message nor because I did not believe in a larger future for us all, but because I believe that I am a woman of the future and I am working hard to lead in that reality. I can choose what I can put my energy into because I am a strong and powerful woman. I can lead by example by continuing to do what is best for me and what is best for  standing in my own power. Basically, in a more practical language, I am a mother of a two-year-old daughter, married, currently in full time school studying both professional writing and psychology, volunteering with a local nonprofit, and fueling my own art business. By the time that it hits Saturday, I am pooped out and truly need a recharge. I will not teach my daughter that I forget to practice self-care. I will always leave space in my life to love myself. So I stood in my own power on Saturday and I continued on the path of recharge.
 
A close friend of mine and I had a conversation about the recharge and we wanted to gather together in peace and solidarity and participate in a peaceful space with our children. As Mothers, we are in the most powerful position in the world because we are raising the next generation. My daughter’s first example of womanhood is me and that starts long before she comes out of the womb. She can hear my voice, she can see my heart, she can feel my feelings. She is learning so much from me and it is so important to me that she learns secure attachment, self-confidence, love, and empathy. It’s important for her to know that she has the freedom to choose and has the freedom to use her voice and believe and hope for things that she believes. I felt that this moment can be added to the many more moments where I will show my daughter that yes, we can take a break and recharge from society. We can honor our space.  
 
On the day of the March, my friend, my husband, and our children did things that mattered to us. We went on a long hike that allowed us to enjoy the beauty of the nature of our city and we waved and smiled at each and every person we encountered.   When we returned to my home, my friend lit a candle for each person in the house and I put a Tiger Iron Crystal at our candle altar, which represents confidence and strength. We all raised our voices in peace.
 
And just because we were at home, doesn’t mean that we didn’t miss out on the event. We watched the women’s march, danced to music, laughed with our children, and participated in the joy and peace that could be felt swarming in the air. We fed the kids veggies and snacks and we made some new abstract paintings.
 
While the kids played, my friend and I caught up on topics about art, politics, and our beliefs on how to make a better world. It reminded me that no matter who is in the administration, I will not be stopped and my voice isn’t lost in the crowd because I did not attend the Women’s March. I live and participate in active solidarity with humanity every day because humans thrive on love and secure attachment and that is what I as a Mother and Woman am offering to this next generation. That is what I am offering as a wife, sister, and a friend. I am offering the vibes of love and empathy. I am recognizing the spaces between each and every one of our hearts. I am recognizing the beauty of this nation of free humans and I want each and every one of us to remember that we are all included in this movement to continue to have women’s rights be human’s right around the world.
 
We are all here borrowing this world from our children to make it a better place and I will not stop making it a better place until my dying breath. Together, we can continue to participate in the movement by writing our senators or keeping up with the 10 actions in a 100 days movement that is happening on the Women’s March Website. So, don’t ever feel as if we are not world citizens and we can’t make a change because we can, even if we need to stay home and take a break.