Speakers and organizers of 2020 CV Women’s March. Andra Manjarrez, Lucy Moreno, Michelle Castillo, Rubi Becerril, Christian Rodriguez, Renaissance Marie, Karen Borja, Gabriela Armenta, Erick Lemus Nadurille, Claudia Armenta

Coachella Valley Women’s March

interview+ photos MARLLEY GONZALEZ & JORGE PEREZCHICA

“We have a lot of really strong, powerful women and gender nonbinary women in the Coachella Valley. The Women’s March is here to create space for us to lead a community conversation. No one is excluded. Everyone is welcome to help us plan, to come, volunteer, participate and march with us. It is a space where we hope that others get inspired to continue leading because of who they are not in spite of who they are.”

— Karen Borja, director of Community Affairs for Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest

“The Women’s March gives an opportunity to educate, give them a platform to express themselves and share with other people what those needs and fears are. How we can navigate the system. “

— Luz E Moreno, CV Women’s March coordinator

“My experience at Woman’s March was an uplifting and inspiring one. Watching familiar faces from the community all coming together for this always fills me with so much hope. That’s what it feels like, like inhaling hope and exhaling years of conditioning, years of being told that we should be one way, when we could in fact be different in many ways, and realizing that it is perfectly acceptable. I felt powerful, amongst that loving energy. It was beautiful to see so many different kinds of woman and young girls, and even allies! I’m grateful to everyone that worked hard to make it happen, and I will continue to advocate for woman and anyone who needs a fighter for peace and justice on their corner.”

— Giselle Woo, Coachella Valley based musician

Left to Right: Zelaya Sanchez, Janine Rivera, Giselle Woo, Esther Sanchez

“As descendants of the Muskogee Creek and Seminole tribes, we are well aware of the heinous and unspeakable crimes committed against Indigenous women. The symbolism of the red hand over our mouths and the hashtag, #MMIW stems from the countless indigenous women and girls between Canada and Latin America who have gone murdered and missing through reasons stemming from domestic violence, sex trafficking, cartels and beyond. Women throughout the world have their battles to fight and their cries to be heard. This is ours.”

— Esther Sanchez, Freelance writer/photographer CV Weekly

Zelaya And Esther Sanchez (daughter/mother) attend CV Women’s March at Veterans Park, Coachella, CA – January 18,2020

Link: CV Women’s March