 Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of Critical Conversations where we talk about hot topic issues related to American Muslims and other targeted communities. Today we're going to talk about the upcoming fourth annual Women's March that is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 18th and there'll be a march in Washington DC and all across the country. But today we're going to focus our discussion on our local march right here in the Pioneer Valley and we are so excited and fortunate to be joined by two key organizers of that march. We have Yolanda Kansal and Rachel Mayuri. Yolanda is the founder of Springfield Women Organize and is also a former candidate for mayor in Springfield and Rachel is the coordinator of the Pioneer Valley Women's March and is a newly elected city councillor in Northampton. Thank you both so much for joining us. Thank you for having us. Yeah. Thank you. So Rachel, let me begin with you. This is going to be our fourth year marching and that's very exciting. However, there are a few people who feel, you know, what does marching really achieve? You know, we live in a very activist community and people do a lot of the hard work every day, social justice work through advocacy and movement building and education. So some people contend, you know, well, what is marching going to do? Why do we go out and march in this cold, frigid weather? So how would you respond to that? Yeah, so I think it's not really either or. It's all part of a picture of modeling what democracy looks like. And one component of democracy is showing up and getting in the streets. And I think it feeds the marchers, but it also models to bystanders that this is one thing we can do. And frankly, I think it's good if we learn how to mobilize pretty quickly in this current administration. And, you know, there's especially since the advent of social media, this ubiquitous pressure that can happen through especially sister marches, which this is, there's sister marches all over the world is very powerful. And so I think it brings us all together in a and and shows the power of people. And hopefully those in power will not forget that. Very true, very true. Excellent. So Yolanda, why is this important for you? Why do you march? I think it's important for me as a mom of five and a grandmother of seven and being multiracial, lesbian, queer. You know, to me, it means so much because me as myself, I am diverse within me. And I think that it's just so important, especially happening in Springfield, because, you know, we've only had one woman mayor since Springfield has ever been founded. So it's in I see politics all around, including our local presidential election, that it seems as if, you know, once a woman starts to run, people don't realize how hard it is. We start being put in the box and be called names, or then they're trying to find different things. It's hard to be, you know, a candidate, not just a woman being in a and what they consider a man's world. It's just it's just not one thing. It's all these things that we have to bring together as a woman for us to fight for. And we should do it in solidarity and we should do it together. That's why it's so important. Absolutely. And you know, and I think we see some of that sort of misogyny and, you know, sort of play out in the national arena as well with like, you know, presidential candidates that they're, you know, the females in the arena are sort of experiencing what you experienced here locally when you ran for mayor. So it's very important, yes, that we sort of do that and sort of come together. And also I feel to really, you know, reconnect with one another right at the beginning of the year to just to be able to sort of set that intention that yes, we're here from very different backgrounds, different experiences, but then to be able to recommit to one another in the public space. It just provides such a powerful moving force. And so we're very grateful for both of you for all the work that you've put in trying to put this march together. And, you know, Rachel, you've been sort of coordinating this for the past four years. And every year we've had a wonderful turnout and but the march has always taken place in Northampton. And despite the large turnout that we've had this time you've decided, and all of you have decided to hold the march in Springfield, could you tell us a little bit more about why that happened and why was that shift in venue? Yeah, so I think all movements to stay not not stagnant to stay fresh really need to evolve and be timely. So we I think connecting with our larger region is very powerful. The current administration and the historic forces behind the current administration would love for us to stay contained and divided and isolated and predictable. And so we by reaching out across Star Valley, we're modeling the antidote to division. And the process itself is transformative, whether we even have a march. We've been spending what six months getting to know each other and learning to work together. And, you know, when we put the feelers out, we didn't, coming from Northampton, we didn't want to have a colonizing, we didn't want a fact, we didn't want to assume folks in the Springfield area wanted to march. But we we found that we had so much in common and so many goals in common. And the Springfield community is, you know, disproportionately impacted by a lot of the policies that we are protesting in terms of affecting lower income communities and communities of color. So we need to show up not in a benevolent way for Northampton, but really as a with the idea that our liberation is bound in one another. Absolutely. And Yolanda, you've lived in Springfield since 2005. You know the city really well. You also ran for mayor last year. Why is it so important that this march take place in Springfield? I think it's that it's so important because when I founded Springfield Women's Organize and when we first did our own march in March 8th of 2015, what I seen was it was hard for white women, Latino women, and black women to talk to each other and not taking it personal. So it was almost like this me playing mediator between the white organizers and the Latino organizers. And it's almost like, okay, because a multiracial doesn't mean I understand everyone. But it was almost like it was great because at the end, we started to realize that we have to learn to speak to each other. Even as women, there was sort of like a divide that was happening and then along racial lines around racial lines and about how do we talk to each other? We're all women. So and we all go through these same things, if not differently, but we're still going through certain struggles together. And so it was great to know that, hey, this black woman is able to basically have this white woman understand what she's going through. And this white woman saying, okay, maybe I do have some sort of white privilege that I didn't realize that I could marry with my white privilege counselor, part of as a male. And so everything coming together. And then, you know, we have like this, people feel like, oh, you know, Northampton thinks a little differently. The women in Northampton think a different thing. And by all of us coming together, it was just like, we're not so different after all. Like we all were able to like work with each other and come to this common ground. And we've all just had so much fun doing this march together that it was just like, we built relationships, friendships. And it's the best thing that could have happened to Springfield and Northampton and everything else in between. That's amazing. Because and you know, some of the sort of issues that you just described in terms of, you know, women of different communities not really being able to relate to one another, not really being able to have this conversations. Initially, sort of mirrors what happened at the national level, right? Because when the national women's march movement emerged, initially it was criticized for being led by white straight women and that their agenda was not really reflective of the concerns of trans women, women of color. So as you were organizing this year's march, what were some of the issues that came up and how were you able to sort of overcome those? I think that many of the issues that I think that we came across weren't really big issues because if we didn't like, say, like a picture or the way something looked, we all came together and we all was just like at the same time like, oh, that was great. Just like, you know, our image or our logo and we wanted to really capture unity across communities and we wanted to capture it with our logo when we finally did that, which I'm kind of hating on the logo because I wish I would have had it for Springfield Women's Organize. But it was like the best for Pioneer Valley Women's March that was just like, this was meant to happen for us to fight within these next years of 2020 and these next things that are coming along. We have to be together to fight this. Like, we are not so divided. It's not like some big wall of border between our cities. We are all affected in some sort of way. And like Rachel was saying, you know, if we don't fight together, then a part we're gonna lose. And if we automatically assume Springfield Women don't need this, but North Hampton Women need this or Belcher Town or Agawam or East Long Meadow or Long Meadow, no, we all are affected in some sort of way with laws change of some sort when it comes to women hygiene and women environment, self-care, being a mom, being a grandmother, being an independent woman, owning your house, getting a job, going to school, all those things affect us. Doesn't matter if you're a queer woman, a straight woman, as a gender, as a female, the things that are affecting us is all commonly. We might face it a little differently, but it's still the same. And we have to fight together across racial lines. Absolutely. And Rachel, I mean, I feel like what Yolanda just described in the process with which you guys sort of came up with these, you know, just different aspects of the march and how to put it together and the coordinating of the logistics and all of those things and the themes. I mean, I feel like you're really modeling, you know, to the National Women's March how things should be done. And my question is like how, you know, what is that trust built on? Like, did you have previous relationships as activists that you were able to build on as you sort of put together this march or, you know, was there just a lot of sort of openness in terms of learning and not being defensive? So how was that process like for you? Yeah, it's really interesting because we really didn't know what was going to happen. There were certain threads of people who worked on the last year's march in North Hampton who were from the Springfield area in Chickpeach. And that Rivera was a big component of why we all got together. We have a lot to thank her for. But we really didn't know what we were going to expect. And what I was really struck by is the focus and the mutual respect right off the bat. Maybe it's the silver lining of such dire times is that people know what's at stake. And you know, we, and so everyone really started off on the right foot, I believe. And it was love. Yeah, maybe that's a good word for it. Yeah, you know, it was definitely love for the care of what we want and what we see. And we all had a like mind to the love of making this a success. And so to me, it was just like just watching all these powerful women across the table and even bringing in new organizers who have never even organized before but wanted to find a way to find this niche that they wanted to do and to be able to do that. And it's just been amazing. And we have, like she said, this common respect and love and appreciation for what we are doing. And that kills any evil mess. I've learned the power of good food at meetings. We're all like, what's happening? They're bringing out food here in Springfield. What? They're taking care of themselves. They have drinks and food. And then they're like, okay, this is good. I think you guys had a lot of fun in those meetings. I wish I was like some of them. But yes, and the food, I'm sure was amazing too. Yeah. So the National Women's March, again, in order to sort of determine what their team was going to be for this particular year, they actually conducted a poll among their members, among their supporters to sort of figure out what is most important for people right now. And so they came up with immigration, climate action, and also reproductive rights. What is the theme of this year's march here locally? And how did you all come to that conclusion in terms of what it should be? Well, unity across the communities is our theme because that's our goal of changing the location of the march. And we hope to rotate the march throughout the valley, actually, and go to other cities and towns and in the process, unite ourselves even more. So we're having a focus on climate justice. And I think this, and Yolanda can speak to this, really plays out in Springfield. Climate justice is a woman's issue where women are disproportionately affected by the climate emergency and climate crisis. And so we really feel like it's kind of a ubiquitous problem. And I'll turn to Yolanda. In terms of like, how is this, I mean, there's so many very dire issues right now that are affecting women, gender-based violence. There's, you know, abortion being legal in like nine states and stuff. So why climate justice? I think climate justice in so many different levels, even the most simplest things as women forget, even dealing with our, you know, hygiene, sanitary napkins once a month that, and if some male thinks, oh, let's use recyclable sanitary napkins. And you're saying, well, it's okay, because you're not putting that in your genitals, but we're putting it in our area. And it causes us to have, we could have cancer, we can have so many different things. So even the most simplest things as you're going to the store as a female, and even as a mom, or even a dad who's going to be a single dad who's shopping for a daughter, who's going to this, because his daughter now just has this time of the month, what are you going to pick to make sure that your daughter's life is okay or organs are okay? And it's just as simple as that. And if we don't think about environment in so many different ways, you know, for us in Springfield, we have Bonnie's Island that all of that weather, all of that, it just comes right into Springfield. High asthma or just so many different things that affects us as chronic pain, fibromyalgia, lupus, Lyme disease, so many different things that affects women in so many different areas. And not only that, we have to work, we have to take care of the house, we got to take care of the kids, we got to, you know, and it's a recycling door. If we're sick and we're not using self-care, who's taking care of the house if nobody else is taking care of the house or taking care of what we need to take care of? Women's health is important. It's not a made-up theme. And it's intricately connected to the climate. And women, I feel like globally, are right now sort of at the forefront of leading this, you know, at the forefront of this cause, you know, with Greta Thunberg, and also like young women here, activists here in our community. So our young women, young people here in our community, sort of, are they involved in this, in this movement as well? You know, just like, I mean, we call, we call the Earth Mother Earth, we call it Father Earth. Right, right. And that's really the connection between even reproductive justice and the climate crisis, is that the same mentality, the connection between patriarchal and white supremacy thinking of exploitation and hierarchy and, you know, and using water and air as free commodities that can be abused. It's the same mentality that tells women what they can do and not do with their bodies. Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, this is wonderful that we're going to focus on that for this particular march. And how do you both, you know, hope to sort of sustain what is going to be talked about at the march, what we're rallying around with, you know, sort of continued momentum like over the year. And how will you sort of connect this issue to the larger movement? And is there any other plans for that? Are you going to have an activist fair? Like, how would that work? Like, you know, trying to sort of connect this so that doesn't just remain confined to this particular day, but that there are communities here that can sort of take this up and continue their work. I don't think we have anything to worry about when it comes to, like, being able to keep the conversation going. Knowing that from Pittsfield to here, we have so many women's groups, you know, and everybody coming to the table and using this round table to make sure that we continue this conversation. The great thing is that women are fired up. And we have young women of all ages. I mean, high school, middle school girls stepping up saying, this is women's ink, girls' ink, women's fund. I mean, just there's so many organizations that you just it's just coming and fueling and they're all coming to the march. So to be able to be on the same page and be able to fight for this and say, and this is what we want to do, but we only could do it together. You know, it starts with a conversation and hopefully ends with a solution. And I think that that's exactly what we're having right now is having the conversations across table lines, across county lines. I mean, having a beautiful woman as East Hampton mayor and everything else coming in between and the range of city council. And then we have two new city councils in the city of Springfield and more women stepping up fighting. And then we have more women wanting to run for Congress. And then you see the way Boston is looking so much more differently part of their city council, our Congress looking differently. The things that we are doing, we are doing it. Absolutely. Women are on fire. I mean, we did add the activist fair last year to kind of formally address the issue of like, let's where we go from here. But really, as Yolanda says, it's the whole process of even just playing the march where now I'll get on the phone pretty quick with Yolanda if we need to march again pretty fast. So I think those I think those tracks have been set. That is brilliant. And you know, I feel like the activist fair is also really important because some of the organizations that you mentioned, you know, their constituencies might know about them, but not everybody does. And when you have like, you know, those leaders sort of sitting at the table and, you know, sharing information about their work, then people really know which direction they can be involved in if this is something that they also just lay people who have not really been involved earlier can now, you know, find a way to be more deeply engaged in everything. So that's really. Yeah, it was very popular last year. It'll be going on all afternoon, the day of the march, January 18th, Saturday, January. Wonderful. And so ladies, we've talked about how, you know, women are on fire and they absolutely are and there's no stopping us. However, what do you think is the role of male allies in all of this? I think we have many. Um, male allies, I think there was like a few that wanted to even talk. And that was like, that was the only disagreement I think we had was like, should we let guys talk or they could just march. They could just be there and just support but talking, we hear enough about that. But, you know, just like our sons, there are allies, you know, I mean, a boy loves their mom, you know, so they're going to fight for whatever, you know, mom is fighting for, but we have a lot of allies. What is that ally group? Yeah, there's, there's a lot. Well, there's a Rambo Kundo does the voicemail magazine. Very, very powerful article is well in mass live. I recently, and I think his whole message was to just show up and march and support and like, you don't have to be at the forefront of speaking, but just be there as a support for it. Yeah. In fact, here's a formal invitation for male allies that is really powerful for you to show up. Don't feel awkward about showing up. It means so much. And I would say the same thing to, to white folks, especially in the North Hampton area. This is an opportunity. This is not, we all, you know, I hear a lot about what can we do as allies, allies is a verb. And you showing up is this year is like, it's really powerful message to the Springfield community. And it's an opportunity that's not always there. So I hope everyone will make that we know an extra effort, but we're trying to make it as easy as possible. And everyone is encouraged. And it means your presence means a lot. Excellent. So ladies, we don't have too much time left. But what are some final parts that you would like to sort of communicate to community members who are watching and who'd like more information about the march itself? Well, we're coming to a town near you maybe next year. And if you're a woman's group who's either in Agilom or somewhere in the Pioneer Valley and you are in and you want us to come to your town next year or the year before the year next, let us know, reach out to any of us. You know, we have Facebook pages, links, websites. So please get involved. And if you want us to, we want to march wherever you're at, we want to show solidarity wherever you are at. So we're ready to go. Yeah. So you can find out more about today's this year's March, January 18th at Pioneer Valley, women's march.com. It'll be, we'll be gathering at 11 at Northgate Plaza, leaving the Plaza at 12 to march. And then the rally will start after that, probably a little shy of one at one p.m. It's going to be really exciting. Great speakers and great performers this year. And what is our Facebook page? So yeah, P, Pb women's march. Oh, that is on the Facebook page as well. Great. So I would encourage everybody to just visit the website. If you need more information. Thank you both so much for being here. It was such a joy to, you know, just be in your presence and hear about this amazing process that you were both a part of. And we hope you have a wonderful turn out. And I'm sure we will on January 18th. And until next time, this is your host, Mahalika Samban.