My Steps in the March for Women's Lives

By
LeConte J. Dill, MPH

On Sunday, April 25, 2004, I was fortunate to be sponsored by CABWHP to attend the March for Women's Lives in Washington, DC. CABWHP staff, volunteers, ATP graduates, and board members marched together with the Women of Color Contingent. This contingent added to the march's success of over one million participants. Not surprisingly, women of color had to demand a seat at the table amongst our other sisters, showing that the "ain't I a woman" mantra is often at the tips of our tongues. Most of the contingent wore red-symbolizing struggle, sacrifice, and survival.

As a young woman, emerging professional and advocate, this march was important for me to participate in on many levels. The struggle for choice is impactful across lines of age, class, and ethnicity. Participants had personally decided that a public united front on this matter at this time was critical. Participants demanded that our government stop treating our bodies, our choices, and our selves as invisible.

Marching in the nation's capital is not just a privilege, but a right that many people take for granted. The march was also important for me because I was able to connect with some of my sisterfriends in the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective (www.sistersong.org). Lastly, the march showed me that reproductive health advocacy has many strong youth advocates, as I marched with Kemi, a sophomore in high school, and a busload of students from my alma mater, Spelman College. As I returned to SFO airport, a bit jet-lagged, and a bit in awe of the whole experience, it warmed my heart as people gave me a "thumb's-up" when they saw me carrying my paraphernalia from the March....adding my steps to our herstory.