IVCC students join march on Washington
By Neil Miller Jr.
IV Leader Staff, May 6, 2004
More than 300,000 people — including 10 IVCC students — marched in Washington, D.C. on April 25 as part of the March For Women’s Lives to protest the assault on women’s reproductive rights.
The students were on a field trip for the Gender 2000 class. The students included Crystal Baker, Monique Lusietto, Katie Yedinak, Kirby Johnson, Sara Zielke, Shaina Martin, Jessica Matakia, Dave Sharpe and Jocelyn Goode.
Goode, one of the students on the trip, said she became aware of how big of an event the march was when the bus from Champaign pulled into Washington, DC, and she walked to the mall.
“All I could see was people for what seemed like miles,” she said.
Barriers were set up to separate the marchers from pro-life proponents.
“People were yelling at each other across the barriers,” Goode said. “It was crazy. I had only seen things like this on television.”
The marchers went past the Washington Monument, the White House and Capitol Building.
“I really enjoyed the march; it was very memorable,” Goode said.
Pat Cole is the instructor for the Gender 2000 class.
In addition to the IVCC students, marchers came from all over America and as far as Kenya and Denmark.
Gloria Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said, “We sent a message to Washington today: there is a war on choice in this country, but we’re going to win this battle; if this administration and Congress don’t get the message after today, they are deaf to a growing wave of outrage.”
Even the stars aligned for the cause. Some of the celebrities in attendance were Hillary Clinton, Madeline Albright, actresses Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Janeane Garofalo, Kathleen Turner, and musicians Ani DiFranco and Moby. In addition, there were quite a few supporters who didn’t attend but still helped out in some way or another. That list ranges everywhere from Alanis Morissette to Uma Thurman.
Not to mention that Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry gave a speech at the March, also.
The March was led by seven groups: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, American Civil Liberties Union, Black Women’s Health Imperative, Feminist Majority, NARAL Pro-Choice America, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, and the National Organization for Women.