More than 100 people from the North Fork — and several hundred more from the South Fork — are heading to Washington Jan. 21 for a march and protest on the National Mall the day after the inauguration of the nation’s 45th president.
The “Women’s March on Washington” Jan. 21 was organized to show unity, according to national organizers of the event.
“We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families — recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country,” according to the Facebook event page published by the national organizers.
Local residents who began organizing buses to go to the march express the same sentiments.
“After Election Day, I grew more and more alarmed as I faced the reality of a Trump presidency,” said Sue Stamatis, of East Marion, a member of the Southold Democratic Club who organized buses leaving for the march from Southold. “Here was a president-elect who had demeaned and abused women, mocked the disabled, ridiculed immigrants, threatened Muslims, disavowed climate change — the list goes on and on,” she said.
“Organizing for citizens in the North Fork community to participate in the Women’s March was my opportunity to channel my disappointment into a positive, concrete action,” Stamatis said.
The Southold Democratic Club was already planning to run a bus to Washington for the march, she said, so she just jumped in to help organize it.
“The first bus sold out in five hours. After “scrambling” to find a second bus — Hampton Jitney had no more buses available for charter — the group’s second bus sold out in 48 hours. Stamatis said she is now considering trying to find a third bus for a one-day, round-trip charter to Washington. “As of this afternoon, buses just about cannot be found — seems everyone is heading to DC on the 21st,” she said.
Sarah Christ of Riverhead and Martha Belesis of Hampton Bays have also chartered a bus that’s leaving from Hampton Bays that morning.
“Like many others, we were devastated by the election result when we heard about the march being organized we thought, ‘Wow wouldn’t it be great to get a bunch of people from out here to go together,’” Christ said. “Around the same time we were invited to join a Facebook group for East End women united for change and learned that a lot of other people had the same idea,” she said. “So we contacted the Jitney to reserve a bus.”
As of this afternoon, there are only nine spaces left on that charter bus.
“There are several buses leaving from further east on the South Fork,” Christ said.
People are inspired to do this because the election of Donald Trump is “a renunciation of so many values I and so many close to me hold dear — tolerance and equality, women’s rights, civil rights, gay rights,” Christ said.
“What we do now is stand up. You don’t just say, oh well, we’re just going to put up with whatever comes the next four years,” she said.
Belesis, a bereavement counselor, likened the response of people opposed to Trump — whose election galvanized them — to something she sees in the bereavement process, which she calls “finding gifts in the wreckage.” It’s bringing together people who felt despair.
Southold Democratic Club co-president Damon Rallis agreed. He said since the election he’s had more than 50 inquiries about how to join the club.
One person looking to become a member is Kathryn Quigley of Greenport, who got involved helping to organize the buses leaving from Southold.
“I think people want to do something and this is a way to do that,” she said. “It’s way to connect with thousands of others, to unify and take some action and let the new administration know we’re here.”
“Knowing we have an immigrant community, a minority community — if we feel this way, imagine how they feel,” Quigley said. “They need to know they have our support.”
There are numerous other buses from other parts of Long Island doing to Washington D.C. on Jan. 21, as well.
For availability on a possible third bus from Southold click here. The Southold buses are leaving at 5:30 a.m. and returning at approximately 11:30 p.m. The cost is $60 round-trip.
To inquire about a seat on the bus from Hampton Bays, send an email to the webmaster and it will be passed on to the organizers. Be sure to include your contact information. The cost is also $60 round-trip. The exact departure time has not yet been set, “but it will be very early,” Christ said.
