A handful of AHS students attended the Women’s March on Saturday, Jan. 18.

However, the Women’s March has been organized differently this year. In the past, the event only consisted of one large march across D.C.

This year, during the week prior to the march, smaller and more targeted events have been planned. The goal behind this week of events is to reenergize supporters of the movement who have become tired of marching on the Capitol.

This past Monday the 13th, the week of activities began with a brunch with advocating drag queens who preached on the organization’s three main issues: reproductive rights, immigration and climate change.

The change to a week long set of activities has come with new leadership; the old board members of the Women’s March were replaced with a diverse group of 16 women. The old board members were replaced amid allegations of anti Semitism, infighting and ineffective leadership.

In addition to the new march setup, the new board members have begun to refocus on a more grass roots approach to activism and have actively supported local leaders.

Despite all the changes, one big march will still be held. Protestors will gather at Freedom Plaza in downtown Washington and make their way to the White House.

The movement has spread far beyond the DMV area, protestors from states such as Iowa and Wisconsin have charted buses to our nation’s capital.

Other protests across the world in Belgium, Germany and New Zealand advocating for the same cause will also occur.

Organizers expect about 10,000 people to attend the Jan. 18 march, according to a permit application filed with the National Park Service.

Among those 10,000, some AHS seniors will be practicing their right to petition.

“I’ve never really been to any kind of march but I’m really looking forward to it on Saturday,” senior Megan Le said.

In addition to being surrounded by an exhilarating crowd, students also reap the benefits of attending.

“I also really want one of those pink hats,” Le said.

“I know my friends do, too.”

In this day and age, it is exciting to see so many students be so interested in student activism.

Other seniors Emily Shawish, Isabella Steiner, Abby Kitila and many others are also planning on attending.

The passion is shared by the opposite sex as well, as some high school boys have expressed interest in attending.

“It would be cool to go out to D.C. and support the cause,” O’Connell senior Kien Ngo said.

The Women’s March organization and all protesters are hoping for a large turnout and a successful protest.

If this year’s protest follows suit to the three in past years, it will be very successful.

This Women’s March is an important event in history which supports a cause always worth fighting for.

From the looks of it, there are no signs of slowing down