Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Speaks at 2019 Women's March in New York City
Thousands of people throughout the United States and around the world took to the streets on Saturday, January 19, for the third annual Women’s March. Equipped with powerful signs and posters, marchers raised their voices in support of equal rights, healthcare, and social justice. The theme of justice echoed throughout the New York City march, where Rep. Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez addressed the crowd.
Ocasio-Cortez’s compelling speech began by noting that the third annual Women’s March was taking place just before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, something that she doesn’t think is a coincidence. “I believe this moment and where we are right now is a resurgence from where the Civil Rights Movement left off,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “We are here to carry the torch forward, because when we talked about racial and economic justice, racial and social justice, we started to really extend those issues to the issues of economic justice, environmental justice, and the intersectionality and interconnectedness of all of our fights.”
She went on to talk further about the concept of justice, using a powerful refrain to drive the notion home to the crowd. “Justice is not a concept we read about in a book,” she reminded the marchers. “Justice is about the water we drink. Justice is about the air we breathe. Justice is about how easy it is to vote. Justice is about how much ladies get paid…. Justice is about making sure that being polite is not the same thing as being quiet. In fact, often times, the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table.”
In addition to talking about the pursuit of justice, Ocasio-Cortez honed in on some of the political goals ahead: taking back the Senate and the White House. “We need to advance and fight for an America where all people are welcome and no people are left behind,” she said. “And I know that while this year has been historic, there’s a lot more congresswomen left here in this audience right now. There’s a lot more city council women…and I know that there’s a future president out here too.”
Just as powerfully as her speech began, Ocasio-Cortez ended on a poignant note, touching upon some of the serious issues that Americans have faced over recent years and incorporating hope for a better tomorrow. “This is the time we’re gonna address poverty,” the politician promised. “This is the time we’re gonna address Flint. This is the time we’re gonna talk about Baltimore and the Bronx and wildfires and Puerto Rico. This is not just about identity; this is about justice, and this is about the America that we’re going to bring into this world.”
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