On Jan. 21, 2017, one day after the Inauguration, women (along with some men) all around the world took place in the Women’s March.

Places such as Washington, Chicago, New York, London, Australia, even Antarctica participated in the global movement.

For Elgin Community College student Adrienne Washington, who joined the march in Chicago, she wanted women everywhere to know that they are not alone and to help give hope for the next couple of years.

“I knew being surrounded by a lot of men and women who 1) did not vote for Donald trump and 2) won’t back down now that he’s commander and chief would give me hope for the next 4 years,” Washington said.

The march has gathered millions of people from all around the world and appears to have been mostly peaceful. Many of the participants had their reasons for doing it; one of them discussing their decisions because they felt like it was right to do.

” I felt it was the right thing to do because a lot of people in this country feel like they don’t have a voice,” said ECC student Sierra Findlay, who also marched in Chicago.

Student Life advisor Brittany Barber, who went to the march in Washington, wanted to share her voice with others, whether they agreed or disagreed with the opinions of others.

“You had people beside you that you may not have agreed with, which was a conflict of values, but at the same time there was a shared passion to be part of the progress,” said Barber.

Most of the attendees went to the march with a goal in mind; some went to show support, others went to send a message to the new administration, some wanted to make their voices heard and others just wanted to be a part of history.

For ECC employee Courtney Hamill, who also marched in Washington, she hoped that by being at the march, she could help send a message to women across the world.

“I hope people, especially young women, can see and understand that their voice matters and even when it is uncomfortable, you have to exercise your right to speak up about things that matter to you, regardless of how people perceive that,” Hamill said.

The marches had received both positive and negative feedback. Many had appearances from celebrities such as Ashley Judd and Chelsea Handler. Most of those guests wore what were called “pussy hats” which were pink hats that were made to look like cat ears. A multitude of attendees made signs, with messages such as “Not My President”, “My Body My Choice” and “Pussy Grabs Back”

Reports show that the attendance in Chicago was so large that they shut down the city. Washington also had some big numbers as well, hitting the millions.

“It was exciting and energizing to be surrounded by people who actually cared about something,” Barber said.

There were hopes that this particular march would send out a message to the government, one that the attendees of the march hoped that others would listen to.

“I think the message was that we need to speak out when we feel our government is heading in the wrong direction and promoting policies which actively harm people. You can sit and cry over what is happening, but then you need to get to work and figure how you can become involved rather than blindly accept what is happening,” Hamill said.

The march was also a place to share your opinions on important issues, no matter if you agreed or disagreed with the people around you.

“Regardless of who you are and no matter what your party is we aren’t going to break down walls and understand each other better if we don’t communicate more,” Findlay said.

The march also reiterated to women all over the world to not be afraid to speak how they feel.

“Be bold and stand up for something. There is strength within us that should never be wilted,” Washington said.

If people want to make a change, then they need to take action, and the Women’s March aimed to reiterate such sayings.

“Now is a time for people from all backgrounds, faiths, political leanings etc. to be self-reflective and take a hard look at their beliefs and what kind of world they want to live in. Which side of history do you want to be on?” Hamill said.