Women's March San Luis Obispo leads rally on January 20

Hear Our Vote: Voices of Resistance Rally happening at Mission Plaza

The Women’s March San Luis Obispo will rally on January 20 at the Mission Plaza, San Luis Obispo from 12 to 4 p.m. to commemorate a year of resistance and reactivate their base against oppressive policies of the new administration. Hear Our Vote: Voices of Resistance Rally will engage and empower the public to take over the 2018 midterm elections with progressive voices.

The program includes: 12 to 4 p.m. – Call To Action Alley; 1 to 3 p.m. – Rally, and 3 to 4 p.m. – Erin Inglish Band performs.
In line with the Power To The Polls event in Las Vegas, over 300 events are currently planned and more are being announced every day. The Hear Our Vote Rally is one of those. The WMSLO has opted to hold a rally this year, instead of marching, to highlight the voices of courageous community leaders who are outspoken advocates for women’s rights, human rights and social and environmental justice.
The Cities of San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, and Morro Bay are each issuing a city proclamation to recognize the month of January 2018 as the month of the Women’s March San Luis Obispo due to the strong and positive impact Women’s March San Luis Obispo has had on the Central Coast.
Confirmed speakers: Elmy Bermejo (Keynote), Obama administration appointee for seven years and a founding member of the Emily’s List Latina Advisory Council and EMERGE; Maria Larios-Horton, a formerly undocumented person who is a leading voice for migrant education; Lisa Graystone, a disability rights advocate; Natalie Risner, leader in the fight to ban fracking in San Luis Obispo; Dr. Jay Bettergarcia, a non-binary queer person of color and advocate for the LGBTQIA community; Dr. Pamela Parker, a reproductive rights advocate who currently serves college-aged youth; Allene Villa, a workers’ right advocate and former union president; Dr. Patricia Gordon, who grew up in the segregated South and advocates for the end of the new Jim Crow, and Kathleen Marshall, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians member and activist in the revitalization of Native languages.
Performers include: Dian Sousa, former San Luis Obispo Poet Laureate, with an original poem; Samba Loca; Central Coast West African Drummers and Dancers; Ranchers for Peace, and the Los Osos Middle School Choir. The Erin Inglish Band will hold a concert.
A fair of local non-profit organizations – Call To Action Alley – will return this year. Those interesting in joining are asked to email womensmarchslo@gmail.com.
Several other events are occurring in January in conjunction with the Hear Our Vote Rally:
January 20 — Grrrls in the Hall – a fundraising concert for Women’s March SLO.
January 20 & 21 — History Center of SLO County presents an interactive Women’s March SLO exhibit.
January 25 — The SLO County Progressives and Women’s March SLO partner on “Break Barriers. Gender Equality For Political Wins” an evening for men and women focused on engaging in the 2018 elections in a brand new way.
Rally attendees are asked to register and donate at www.womensmarchslo.com to help organizers plan for safety, the cost of which increases with the number of attendees. If funds exceed the goal, a donation will be made to Anna’s Home, a program of Restorative Partners, to support mothers and their children.
Follow Women’s March SLO on social media @womensmarchslo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or sign up for emails via www.womensmarchslo.com.