News

Women, Supporters March In Rapid City To Assert Women's Rights As Human Rights

SDPB Radio | By Victoria Wicks

Published January 22, 2017 at 9:32 PM CST

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The crowd gathers in the parking lot at the Rapid City administration building.

Miss Weiss

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This Sturgis child is standing above the crowd and kindly took a photograph of the crowd for me. That's the previous photo. Her last name is Weiss, and she's from Sturgis, but I couldn't hear her first name in the noise of the crowd.

Victoria Wicks

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Dorothy "Rowdy" Brewick, right, organized the march, along with Deb Lux, center, Barb Chapman, and many others.

Victoria Wicks

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Pat Lien Francis takes a comedic approach with her sign, but her offense at the sexist rhetoric in this election is serious.

Victoria Wicks

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Kathy Keffeler holds one of three posters created by Shepard Fairey for the Women's March on Washington.

Victoria Wicks

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Chas Jewett is a Rapid City organizer who works with Community Conversations, a group working for unity in Rapid City..

Victoria Wicks

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Loren Groenewoud put on a Trump mask and hat and held a sign telling protesters to get over it.

Victoria Wicks

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Loren Groenewoud and Constance Krueger carried on a lengthy and civil conversation.

Victoria Wicks

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Richard Fisher is a retired United Methodist minister. He attended the march to support the young women in his family who should have a future without oppression.

Victoria Wicks

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Patti Martinson has long been an advocate for equal rights for women and LGBT people. She says the next four years are a critical time, and everyone should come together to ensure human rights.

Victoria Wicks

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Laura Steiner with 8-month-old Lydia. Laura says she's optimistic: “I see hope, I see equality; I’m really proud to bring her out here. It makes me happy that this is the future, feminism is the future, equality is the future.”";s:3:

Victoria Wicks

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The crowd.

Victoria Wicks

On Saturday South Dakotans joined millions of people across the world for a one-day rally. The Women's March on Washington was established as a show of solidarity and a rallying cry that women's rights are human rights. Companion marches took place in all 50 states and across the globe.

In Rapid City, protesters filled the City Administration parking lot, marched through a few blocks of downtown, and then gathered in Memorial Park.

The mood was joyful, but the signs--many of them in response to the rhetoric of the previous election cycle--were defiant. Since the election, there have been appeals for understanding, for people to work out the differences that have divided the nation.

SDPB's Victoria Wicks asked marchers how, and where, that conversation can take place.