The first Women’s March began with a Hawaiian woman named Teresa Shook who voiced that a pro-woman march was needed after Donald Trump’s inauguration. After thousands signed up, veteran activists and organizers began planning the march.

The event was huge. Organizers expected 200,000 people, but 500,000 showed. Estimates collected by The Washington Post said 4.1 million took part in the various Women’s Marches across the United States, along with 300,000 worldwide.

On Jan. 20, 2018, a year after millions turned out for the first Women’s March, protesters gathered in cities across the United States once again. The #MeToo movement pushed activists to demand deeper social and political change.

This year, the third annual Women’s March took place in D.C., with sister marches happening across the U.S. including in Lexington, Kentucky. The theme of this year’s march is”Women’s Wave.”

Several hundred people showed up to the courthouse in downtown Lexington on Jan. 18 despite the rain and cold. Organizations like Moms Demand Action and Together Frankfort were in attendance, along with speakers Denise Gray, State Representative Attica Scott, Alexis Meza, Anita Rowe-Franklin, McKayla Weaver, and Mizari Suarez.

The march started with Kentucky author George Ella Lyon singing a modified version of “America the Beautiful” originally written by Katharine Lee Bates, with the crowd.

“Oh beautiful, our body shapes
Our ample ways of grace
Our plump or boney majesty
Our spirits dwelling place
A miracle, a miracle, God finds her face in thee
And crowns thy good with sisterhood
From she to shining she”

State Representative, Attica Scott, spoke to the crowd about demanding action instead of asking for it.

“We need you to keep registering people to vote. We need you to show up at every single election. And women, in 2019, we will show that our agenda matters, that we’re going to put it at the top of the list – – and no matter what those folks in Frankfort try to do, in passing unconstitutional laws, we will not have it,” said Scott.

After this, other speakers motivated the crowd in the pouring rain and rallied women to continue to stand up for their civil rights and to be inclusive.

As the rain began to slow, the marching began. Hundreds of umbrellas could be seen on the sidewalks from the courthouse and around the block. Participants chanted positive messages and stayed together in solidarity.

Although this year’s march had controversy surrounding the inclusion of Jewish women, the speakers in Lexington were adamant that all people of all backgrounds were welcome, and needed, to change the world.