Women’s March Draws Hundreds of People to Downtown Fargo

many people said they attended last year's march as well

FARGO, N.D. — A national movement is happening right in your own backyard.

People took part in Women’s Marches in cities like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and even here in Fargo.

To the eye, this is a protest with more than 800 people shouting and holding up signs signifying what they believe in.

But what you don’t see is the person Doug Bieber brought with him today.  His wife Annette, who died 17 years ago.

“She’d be very proud of me, very proud of me and she’s looking down from heaven at me today and glad I’m here,” Bieber said.

He now always wears his wife’s pink hat because she’s the one who taught him what it means to be a feminist.  A lesson he is now sharing with others.

“Since we have such a poor one in our president, that there are other role models, there are other men that want to treat women as equals and are not necessarily sexist. So that’s the message I’d like to send here today,” Bieber said.

But he’s not alone.

Generations of men and women gathered in downtown Fargo to celebrate and stand up for women everywhere.

“Everything that’s happened this year between politics or popular culture has really had an impact on a lot of women and a lot of women are ready to get to work,” said Nicole Mattson, one of the march organizers.

Which is why organizers of the Women’s March in Fargo asked people to take the next step in creating change by committing to one of seven steps in this year’s election cycle.

“If you’re a regular voter, maybe this year you can help someone else out. You can research a candidate or a political organization,” Mattson said.

This isn’t everyone’s first rodeo though.  Liv Oland says she couldn’t contain her excitement going to D.C. for the first Women’s March last year.

“I cried the whole time, got off the bus and saw five other people and started crying. It was so exciting,” Oland said.

Now that she could attend in her hometown, Oland says she couldn’t be happier.

“It’s amazing in Fargo because sometime you’re out in North Dakota and by yourself as a feminist so to be able to come here today and see that you’re not the only one here who’s making a difference and resisting is really empowering.”

What she says she’s been shocked to see is the amount of kids who show up for these marches.

“I’d like to think millennials are making a huge difference but it’s really these young kids that have no idea what the other side is right now,” Oland said. “They’re so cute and they’re so sweet and they just want everyone to get along and that’s so inspiring.”

“I think it’s kind of fun because it shows that it’s not just adults who won’t stand for this, it’s also kids,” said 11-year-old Maddy Turner.

For justice to be served, there’s just one thing organizers say women especially must do.

“I really hope women in particular are willing to start taking a step outside of their comfort zone, doing just a little bit more than they’ve done before and if we all do that together, we can really make change happen,” Mattson said.

Because that’s what will continue to make all the women who are here and those that are no longer with us proud.