On Friday morning thousands of people will be in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of Donald Trump.
In metro Detroit hundreds of women will be boarding buses bound for the city, preparing for the “Women’s March on Washington” set to take place the following day.
“I’m excited because I think we should have been speaking up a long time ago,” said Karin Risko.
Risk is one of the handful of people organizing groups to go to the capital for Saturday’s march. The event, which many say represents a growing movement, is expected to draw more than 200,000 participants. Many hoping that their group will surpass the crowds for the inauguration to make a statement.
“I don’t know what it really was about this past election that motivated people, but suddenly I think the government is going to see there is a whole new group of people ticked off and angry,” said Risko.
Risk originally had plans to attend the inauguration before the November election. She has a background in tourism, so she planned a bus trip that she was going to open to friends and people who lived in her area to see Hillary Clinton. When Trump won the election she called off the trip, but decided to adapt her plans and attend the march instead.
“One we did (open it up) within minutes of going live we were getting sign-ups,” said Risko. “SO I went from one bus to four buses.”
Nearly 200 people plan to join Risko’s trip. Other groups going have seen similar spikes. Across the country a group called “Rally Bus” has reported sold out trips. In Michigan trips planned from Detroit, Ann Arbor, Traverse City, Flint and a handful of other cities are at capacity.
The entire movement started with a single Facebook post. Now the organizer’s are trying to spread a message.
In their own words the movement is “a women-led movement bringing together people of all genders, ages, races, cultures, political affiliations and backgrounds in our nation’s capital ... to affirm our shared humanity and pronounce our bold message of resistance and self-determination."
The major concern: that women’s rights will be rolled back by Congress with a larger Republican majority, and a new White House administration. One of the most often discussed concerns includes the Affordable Care Act and the threats of the incoming administration to repeal it.
