WNY Women’s March

2023: PEACE IS WORTH IT!

You are invited to join the WNY Peace Center on Sunday, March 26th for our WNY Women’s March beginning at 1:00 PM at Niagara Square (downtown Buffalo). After marching to the Buffalo Erie County Public Central Library, we’ll have speakers and performers share in the library’s Ring of Knowledge while themed activities are available for children in the kid’s area.

This year, we hope to bring awareness to international women’s rights, environmental sustainability, and peaceful negotiations in war-torn countries. Please join our efforts to uplift these important social justice discussions.

2022: Solidarity, Victory, & Healing

In 2022, all members of the WNY community were invited for solidarity, healing, inspiration, and shared learning and perspectives. This event was organized/presented by the WNY Peace Center and hosted by Riverside Salem UCC/DC. We marched from the corner of Lafayette & Niagara Streets to Broderick Park for programming, including a family area, guest speakers, performers, and a comfortable environment for all to stand in solidarity. In the wake of the 5/14 Buffalo tragedy, we also held a food drive.

2021: Spring Into Action

The WNY Women’s March 2021 was held on Zoom and included breakout rooms with special discussion topics, guest speakers, music, and more! Themes included positive goals as the opposite of Dr. King’s triple(/quadruple/quintuple) evils of society:

  • Women in Universal Solidarity (antidote to Racism/Bigotry), with Franchelle Parker, Director of Open Buffalo, WNYPC Board Member;
  • Women in Peacemaking, (antidote to Militarism/Violence), with Marie Schuster, WNYPC Board Chair, co-chair Resist Militarism! Taskforce and Poet Jillian Hanesworth;
  • Women in Cooperative Economics (antidote to Materialism/Rampant Capitalism/Poverty), with Deidra EmEl, WNYPC Coordinator, Economic Justice Taskforce Chair;
  • Women in Sustainability (antidote to Environmental Degradation), with Agnes Williams, Seneca, leading Indigenous Women’s Initiatives
  • Women in Reverence for Life (antidote to Nationalism/Religious Nationalism), with Talia Rodriguez, WNYPC Gender Justice Taskforce Chair and Associate Dir. of West Side Promise Neighborhood, and Gabrie’l Atchison, Episcopal Diocese of WNY

2020: Weekend of Action

Our Women’s March 2020 was a special way to #UNITE as part of the Weekend of Action! Included a rally and march with speakers, music, and the Spirit, to celebrate Truth and Love. We stood together for Women, Solidarity with and Justice for People and the Planet, and #womenswave, #powertothepolls. Included a pre-event sign-making gathering.

2019: Women’s Movement / Women’s Wave

Some 500 braved ferocios winds to support women’s rights and to oppose all forms of oppression! Nya weh to Jocelyn Jones, Seneca! The Haudenausanee Thanksgiving address – ie, the Gnonyoh – was key to making the Women’s March – Buffalo/WNY the special time it was. Many thanks to our wonderful speakers who illumined and inspired us; to the beloved Drea D’Nur and the WNY Resistance Revival Chorus, who encourage and uplifted us. Pre/post-event activities included: a brief gathering at Niagara Square in observance of International Women’s Day; a poster/sign-making party; two Women’s March Forum and Discussions.

2018: Still Resisting

The 2019 WNY Women’s March began at the steps of Buffalo City Hall. We provided information and inspiration at stops related to current issues and campaigns – e.g. women’s rights, voting rights, the vitally important Poor People’s Campaign. We also organized a bus trip to Seneca Falls, NY: birthplace of the Women’s Movement in the US!

2017: No Hate, No Mandate

More than 3,500 came out for our first WNY Women’s March. Many, many thanks to all who came out, with your beautiful signs, your inspiring children, your words and acts of courage, compassion and unity! After the square was full, the crowd kept coming. Our inspiring speakers, representing both the WNYPC and many of the legion and growing number of groups connecting and working together, did WNY proud, as County Executive Poloncarz pointed out. (So did the busloads and carloads who bravely went to DC to stand up for us all the the principles we uphold.)

We stand for all our rights, including that of the Creation and our planet. We resist the creeping and barely disguised facism, racism, profiteering, and unabashed proclivity to violence of the new regime.