Why I Marched: Josine D.

After the election in 2016, I went into a funk. I turned off Facebook, I turned off the television. I turned inward. For me, it was a time of healing and deep doubt. I questioned myself, my choices.

I had chosen to be here, in the U.S. I came here for school, met my husband, and stayed. Where I come from, I was taught to fight for justice, speak out and up. My parents taught me that I had to fight for everyone. If one person suffers, we all suffer. You need to do something. But I think when I came here, I lost that. Life got busier and easier.

And I believed that the U.S. was a place where everyone has a chance. Immigrants come here with a sense that as long as I live right and do right, I will be okay. If you treat people right, good things will happen.

On November 9, 2016, I realized that is not reality. How could I be so wrong? One day I decided to get up off my butt and stop whining….do something. It was no longer enough to sit back and just vote. Because I had done that and look what we got.

I returned to Facebook in January 2017, and there was the Women’s March. I was ready. It gave me an outlet, something to do. Like my parents taught me. When one person suffers, get up and fight. It was comforting to know that I was not alone. My eyes were just big as I smiled and thought yeah….I am not a weirdo. There are thousands like me.

That day was amazing. When I looked out at all those people saying this is not good enough, that gave me hope. It gave me energy and a purpose.

This is where I could be with a group of women who are passionate and ready to fight and understand that there is something bigger than themselves.

This. This is what I can do.