The Mujeres Marcharan Coalition hosted the annual women’s march on Sunday at Milam Park.
“Peace through liberation, liberation through struggle, from Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go” was the theme for this year.
Before the march, speakers discussed immigration, LGBTQ+ issues, and the war in Gaza.
Dominique Renteria, one of the organizers, said they have been a part of outreach for the coalition since last year, but this was their first year to help plan the event.
The process to make this event happen takes a few months, with all local organizations coming together to advocate for human rights, Renteria explained.
“We’re living in a post Roe v Wade, we’ve been asking for our reproductive rights back, queer people have been asking for protection,” Renteria said. “Clearly we’re not being listened to, so marches like International Women’s Day march is just really important for us to get our voices heard.”
The first International Women’s Day March in San Antonio was held in 1983. The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, Fuerza Unida, and PEACE Initiative joined later to organize the event.
The Mujeres Marcharan Coalition advocates for five main goals: Equal Human Rights, living free of oppression, ending militarized borders, calling for ceasefire in Palestine and a sustainable future.
Kayla Razo, a senior at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), helped organize the event and was a part of outreach at UTSA. Her feminist theory professor encouraged her to participate in the event.
“I think it’s especially important being in a red state just because I don’t think that not only women’s rights, but a lot of different rights aren’t talked about enough,” she said. “It’s rough that we still have to fight for change.”
Veteran anti-war organizer Jules Vaquera also helped organize the event. She said working in a fem centric space was a new special experience for her.
“Having a supportive community of people who are like minded and share your values, I think that is very important,” Vaquera added.
The rally kicked off the event with speakers who advocated for equal human rights, poetry inspired by Palestine. Marchers waved Palestinian flags and chanted “ceasefire now” and “free free Palestine.”
