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Second women's march and rally planned in Seneca Falls

Seneca Falls women's march, January 2017
James McCorkle
Seneca Falls women's march, January 2017
Seneca Falls women's march, January 2017
Credit James McCorkle
Seneca Falls women's march, January 2017

Last January, a day after the inauguration of President Trump, an estimated 10,000 people flocked to Seneca Falls for a women’s march and rally.

Organizers are planning a similar event on January 20, 2018.

Rev. Leah Ntuala, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Seneca Falls, says the call to action has not diminished since last year.

"(This) year, I think everybody was worried about what possible changes the administration could make that would roll back rights women had made ground in getting and maintaining, and (now) we've realized some of those fears."

The 2018 march and rally is called "per-Sisters for Women's Equality." it will begin at 10 a.m. January 20 at the Women's Rights National Historical Park.  Ntuala says speakers will call for an end to systemic racism and sexism, violence against women, LGBTQ and disability discrimination and more.

"Even if I'm cisgender, even if I'm a heterosexual, that doesn't mean that the rights of my non-binary or transgender community friends or my family members who identify as LGBTQ don't matter. It still matters that they can marry; it still matters that the census properly captures their information."

The historic significance of Seneca Falls serves as an inspiration for people across our region and beyond, Ntuala said.

"It's nice to be in a place where you can remember the progress made and feel like you're standing with these ancestral beings in pushing and propelling yourself forward."

Organizers of the event have created a Facebook page to track the number of people who plan on attending.

Copyright 2017 WXXI News

Beth Adams joined WXXI as host of Morning Edition in 2012 after a more than two decade radio career. She was the longtime host of the WHAM Morning News in Rochester, where she was recognized for her work by the New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association and the New York State Humane Society. Her career also took her from radio stations in Elmira, New York to Miami, Florida.