Now in its third year, the Women’s March Los Angeles was again filled to capacity in Pershing Square.  Recognizing the success of the women’s movement in 2018, the organization set out to not rest on its laurels and demanded additional advancements in gender equality issues. 

The event – held on Saturday January 18 – was graced with the presence of various inspirational speakers as well as entertainers calling for empowerment and social justice.  Subjects covered included:  rights of LGBTQ/trans; increased gender equality in the political sphere; racial justice; immigration rights and more.

Although there had been an ideological split within the movement’s founders, turnout was still very high.  Rep. Katie Hill (who unseat Republican Rep. Steve Knight in the midterm election) took to the stage and said: “The activism has just started,” urging activists to “get back to work.”

Women were not the only LA group to have felt the need to fight for their rights.  LA teachers have been striking in an effort to employ more teachers to ease pressure on current educators and improve the education system.  It finally ended when a deal was reached between the teachers and the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union.  The agreement included a 6 percent increase in pay; reducing average class size by 2022 by four students, a full time nurse for each school and a full-time librarian for every high school .