By: Yun Hao
Medill Reports

The snowstorm that swept through Chicago Jan.17 canceled hundreds of flights but couldn’t deter thousands of participants who gathered at the Women’s March Chicago 2020 the next day.

The marchers gathered that Saturday to support gun violence prevention, climate justice, health care and pushed to get-out-to-vote, among the key issues galvanizing the fourth annual Women’s March at Chicago and cities across the country.

The crowd headed from Grant Park to the Federal Plaza shortly after 11:00 a.m. and the march ended about 1 p.m., though some marchers moved on to protest in front of the Trump Tower at Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River.

“I’m here at the Women’s March to fight for women’s rights. We’re gonna have to do this until we get full human rights,” Liz Ruiz said forcefully, carrying a hand-made sign featuring three of her favorite female heroes — suffragist Alice Paul, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and the late New York Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm.

The crowd included some very young faces holding signs that were almost as tall as them.

“It’s so cool to see all different ages here,” said Jillian Marshall, a 19-year-old Loyola University student.

“Yea, like you saw little girls coming, that’s so empowering. I mean, I didn’t go to a march until we were this age, so to see little girls coming and standing up, it’s just a really cool environment to be surrounded by other women who are strong and empowered,” said Frances Aufderheide, a Loyola friend who attended with Marshall.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Illinois Lieutenant Governor Julian Stratton, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Congresswomen Robin Kelly (D-2nd) and Jan Schakowsky (D-9th), Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle joined the crowd and led the march.

Over 100 marches took place in other cities around the country at the same time.