By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Photo/Melanie Petrucci
Shrewsbury – Members of the Shrewsbury Diversity Coalition hosted an impromptu rally on the Shrewsbury Common Jan. 20 to mark the one-year anniversary of the Women’s March on Washington, D.C. Similar rallies were held across the commonwealth and the country. People of all ages were in attendance and many brought homemade signs in support of the movement.
“This really was an impromptu event,” said organizer Karen Fine. “Several of us wanted to join the Women’s March in Northampton, Mass. today. I came down with a cold and then we just decided and got a lot of people together on Facebook through the Diversity Coalition and through Worcester NOW [National Organization of Women] to have a group here in Shrewsbury… even though we were kind of sad and my son Nathan was sad, and he made this sign for the march in Northampton. He was excited to go to his first march.”
“Karen wanted to organize a family friendly event where we could celebrate and show support for diversity in our community and focus on celebrating the women who are speaking out,” shared Sarah Jane Frankel who is also very active in the coalition.
Ten-year-old Lilly spoke up, declaring that it is important for women to stand up.
“We wanted to have a local presence to recognize how important it is for women to be out and to vote and that your vote matters; everyone’s vote matters,” added Dina Tedeschi, a member of the Worcester Chapter of NOW.
