On Saturday, January 21, 2017, nearly half a million women marched in across the country each one for their personal reasons. While many of us could not attend the march in D.C., some Drexel students did attend the in Philadelphia through solidarity with women across the globe. The Women’s March on Washington in Philadelphia exceeded original estimates. The city estimated that 50,000 people showed up. Isabella Tognini, a junior majoring in marketing and entrepreneurship, was one of the thousands to participate in the Women’s March on Washington in Philadelphia, along with her mother and two roommates.
Izzi Tognini, far right, and her two roommates.
When I asked why Izzi decided to participate, she told me she would “Protest against Trump any day.” While she has always identified as a feminist, she admits that her definition has changed within the past few months. She has actively tried to advocate for feminism rather than just identify as a feminist. Recognizing her own privilege, she decided to participate in the march to let women of color, women of different religions, the LGBTQ community, rape and sexual assault survivors and all those surrounding her that day know that she would stand with them.
Izzi shared with me what the atmosphere was like on the day of the march. Describing it as “the most beautiful human rainbow,” Izzi felt an overwhelming feeling of love. People were holding hands and linking arms, sharing food, smiling and laughing with other as if they had known each other for years. Her favorite quote from the day was from a male speaker at the march who said: “When women get fed up, change happens.”
While many of the thousands of protesters were looking for different types of change, I asked Izzi what she hoped would come from the march. She firmly believes in equal, affordable healthcare, reproductive rights, federal funding for Planned Parenthood, migration as a right, justice against police brutality and support for Black Live Matter and the LGBTQ community. Following the March, she hopes that these conversations continue to empower more women to come forward as leaders.
When Izzi isn’t participating in women’s marches or advocating feminism, she is actively involved in her sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma, and in the Panhellenic Council serving as vice president of membership. She also helps with Dragons to Dragons, a pen-pal mentor program through Drexel. While she isn’t sure what she wants to do in the future, she knows she wants to work in marketing, specifically for design companies. When she is far older, she hopes to own an antique shop.
Want to get involved? Visit the Women’s March website for more information.