Women's Rallies in NH and DC to Mark Trump's First Full Day as President
CONCORD, N.H. - On President Trump's first full day in office Saturday, grassroots rallies are planned in New Hampshire and the nation's capital to support women's rights, civil rights, health care and the environment.
The Women's Day of Action and Unity in Concord is to kick off at 10 a.m. at the State House Plaza. Becky Whitley, New Hampshire field organizer for the Mom's Clean Air Force, said she will be taking part in the local action to support progress that has been made - and that they don't want to see rolled back under the new president.
"When we stand together, we can really get a lot done," she said, "and the people that are going to come to this rally care about women's rights, they care about their families, they care about public health, they care about the environment."
The New Hampshire rally is being held in solidarity with the national Women's March on Washington, which organizers estimate is likely to draw at least 200,000 participants.
Whitley noted that Donald Trump will be inaugurated just days after NASA reported that 2016 was the hottest year on record. She said the new administration and Congress need to recognize that impacts of climate change are happening now and already are challenging the health of the one-in-10 Granite Staters who suffer from asthma.
"Women around the world are disproportionately impacted by climate change, particularly in low-income communities," she said. "Here in New Hampshire, children and adults in low-income communities are really at a high risk of developing asthma, and because of that we're disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change."
Whitley said the new Trump administration is talking about rolling back women's rights including the right to choose an abortion. That's why she believes this broad coalition of groups who normally advocate for a wide range of issues needs to stand together at this rally.
"We believe that women's rights are human rights, and all organizations have to stand together to protect all the progress that has been made, particularly on reproductive rights," she said. "It's very troubling. "
More information about the national march is online at WomensMarch.com.
