Amid a politically charged climate, Arizona’s Capitol became a focal point for advocates of reproductive rights, drawing hundreds of participants on Saturday. The event was part of a nationwide series of rallies, with similar gatherings taking place in Washington, D.C., and other cities, all occurring in the days preceding President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Organizer Loren Piretra, initially involved in the People’s March in Los Angeles, found herself in Arizona due to fire evacuations in California. “We don’t know what’s going to happen in the early days of the new administration, but we know it’s not probably going to be good, and that we’re going to have to get to work,” Piretra remarked, reflecting the uncertainty many feel about the incoming administration’s stance on abortion rights.
Trump has expressed that decisions regarding abortion access should be handled by individual states.
Sarah Hinz, a Phoenix resident, emphasized the rally’s focus on unity beyond political affiliations. “I feel like our politics have become really divisive, and I would like to see it go back to, say even 20 years ago, where there wasn’t such a line between Democrat and Republican,” Hinz expressed.
Randy Noland, an Arizona resident since 2016, attended to support his family, especially his wife and daughters. He shared, “It’ll get me choked up when Harris was VP. I wanted my daughters to see that,” highlighting his hopes for female leadership in the country’s future.
Meanwhile, the largest event took place in Washington, D.C., where thousands gathered. This event marked a rebranding of the 2017 Women’s March, which brought hundreds of thousands to the nation’s Capitol as Trump began his presidency.
—
Read More Arizona News
