4:30am - Pulling into the JCPenny parking lot in Staunton, we saw three (!) buses waiting to take us to Washington. We had women, and a few men, join us from all over the area, and as far away as North Carolina.
Bus quote of the day - "Boy do I miss that estrogen!"
To our bus captain Henley - thank you for imparting encouraging words and valuable information. Thank you for being one small cog in a very large wheel.
9:00am ish - RKF Stadium. The line for the port-a-potties immediately showed us what we had in store for the day.
While THE march didn't begin until 1:00pm, ladies waited no time in showing their support for a cause. The day felt like two or three marches.
Lines of ladies and lots filled with buses. Not pictured - packed metro stations
...to more blatant messages. But all were welcome and many were hysterical.
What made this march so special was that, while focusing on women, the range of issues addressed was vast.
Members of the National Guard and DC police only added to the festive atmosphere. Every official we encountered was cordial and polite, with the majority offering encouraging words, high-fives, and hugs. Because of these amazing folks, this event will forever be seen as one of peace and respect.
As the streets filled from RFK to the Capitol, motorists honked and waved. Residents waved from porches and windows, and local churches and schools opened their doors, and their bathrooms, to us.
10:00am - halfway to the Capitol, the crowds grew, as did the level of energy and excitement.
So many signs, so few photos. I wish I had captured them all.
Even when protesters from "the other side" showed up, we marched. We didn't attack or spew hate. We shared our message of equality for all.
And this road wasn't officially closed to traffic, so this guy was nice enough to hold back any cars while we walked to the rally. Be thankful for everything.
I was fortunate to share this day with my beautiful mom. We live hours apart, but being able to spend the actively supporting a cause together is an experience I will never forget.
Arriving at the Capitol gave our steps new meaning. We started to see the other groups as we all converged on the Mall.
This is one of my students. She's one of those kids that you just know will do something big. I feel lucky to have spent the day with her, and can't wait to see where she goes.
I'm not a big fan of the #notmypresident mentality. I understand why people feel this way, but to me, it feels divisive. However, just because he is my president doesn't mean I have to agree with him or his policies, and I will continue to speak against what I feel damaging to the future of the country.
These signs kill me! I love the show and words have power here.
11:00am - we finally make it to the Mall, near the stage. The crowds picked up and it was difficult to change direction. We were small fish in a VERY large stream.
From a photographer perspective, I was a little jealous of the people sitting on traffic lights and in trees. But these ladies provided valuable information about the flow of the crowd and where we could find some open space.
As we came closer to the stage, the chants grew and intensified, but the message was always about equality and respect. It seemed every underrepresented group got their own chant. It. Was. Awesome.
Standing between the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Mall, marchers stood shoulder to shoulder, creeping closer to the main event. No matter where we stood, all we saw were pink caps and signs.
Every flat surface became a seat. And when you're staring down the barrel of standing and walking for 10 hours, finding a place for brief respite was important.
Even the smallest signs carried big messages.
Some signs were a little nightmare-ish
And some gave us goosebumps