Women’s March Taking Next Steps Locally

This past Wednesday, Mackey and others with similar beliefs gathered in a meeting room at On the Green to work on moving their hopes for the future forward. (submitted photo)

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The day after Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States, women across the country took part in the Women’s March.

The march in Washington, D.C., was mirrored in several other locations across the country, including on the Iowa State Capitol grounds.

The march was held as a way of showing solidarity “with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families – recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country,” as described on the Women’s March website.

Melanie Mackey was one of those who traveled to Des Moines to take part in that march, and she walked away from the experience a different person. “I guess I thought that I was alone. I had some friends who shared my same concerns, but it felt like a quiet movement. When I went to Des Moines for the march, I realized I was definitely not alone. That’s a really nice discovery to make.”

For Mackey, having experienced racism and sexism and watched others go through it was a motivator for her. “It’s not about jokes, but how those jokes are reflected in whether the person at the center of that joke is treated as one hundred percent human as the rest of us. I went to the march because the real change starts in those tiny places when we start seeing other people as more or less human than ourselves. I don’t think my type of change comes from laws or policies, but my type of change — a change in perspective — shapes those laws and policies.”

Since her return from the march, Mackey has been moving forward with her newfound passion, and is facilitating the next step from the march.

This past Wednesday, she and others with similar beliefs gathered in a meeting room at On the Green to work on moving their hopes for the future forward.

Action #2 of the Women’s March is called a Huddle, and the one hosted by Melanie was but one of a reported 4,037 in total that have taken place.

The Huddle is a group of 10-15 people who watch a prepared video, and the group then envisions what winning in four years looks like, and then discusses upcoming action opportunities.

Those goals from the Huddle included things like getting to know the others who are part of the Huddle, and building a team, then to plan or “envision” the course of action the group “can tackle in the next ten days, and ultimately mobilize your community to win back the society we want.”

The final goal is to outline a set of goals the group would like to pursue into the near future.

For Mackey, the website offers valuable guidance in building that circle, which has been meeting regularly since that January 21st march.

“I’m hoping to strengthen my inner circle of people who want to make a positive change that starts right here in Osky. Ive found so much support in several different social circles, and I want to bring those social circles together. And then, as more action opportunities arrive, we’ll be ready for them,” added Mackey.

If you would like to know more, you can contact Mackey at melbethmackey@gmail.com or by visiting the Women’s March website at www.womensmarch.com.