San Diego Women’s March Organizers Focus On 'Power To The Polls'

>> I am wearing Cavanaugh. It is Thursday, January 8 -- 18th. >> The 20 -- the 2000 -- the 2017 women's March is acknowledged as the single largest day of protest and history. Organizers are ready to do it again. Is taking place this Saturday. This year it does not have the catalyst of a recent inauguration. It does have a new message. Get out and vote. Joining me is Donyell Stewart. >>'s last -- >> Last year marches shattered expectations. Is the impact still reverberating? >> The energy that was created last year after the first annual March here in San Diego and across the globe, the energy has been continuing on. People are activated. People have woken up to the different things that are going on that they were not aware of before or that they have been aware of and have been fighting for and there is new energy. There are newly activated individual speaking up. >> What has your organization accomplished over the past 12 months since the first women's March? >> Over the past year, women's March San Diego has been building a robust and diverse board of leadership. We are very proud of that. We have also been involved in different events and such going on around the community that has involved social justice issues. We've been rallying for peace and doing vigils for Charlottesville for example. We are getting prepared for the term -- upcoming midterm election year. >> Is there more to the movement encountering trump policies? >> The mission of women's March San Diego and the marches across the globe is about more than any one individual. It is about what is right and true for this nation. Ultimately we are looking to create equity across the board for everyone. >> This is called the women's March but it does have a certain agenda. We have to remember that 53% of white women voted for Donald Trump. Is this a March for all women or just women that share your views? >> It is a March for all women. If you believe in women's rights and social justice issues, this is a March for you. It isn't opportunity to come out and make a statement on issues that matter most to you. This marches an opportunity -- this March is an opportunity. >> What are some of the goals that can reach across the divide and unite women? >> Some of the goals that can reach across the divide our women's issues, women's health issues, will pay for women. Approximately 20% of women are in political positions. That is a huge issue. If we are going to be successful and have good representation, we need to have more than 20%. Women represent 50% of the population. We have to have more than 20% in the political spectrum. >> This March comes as the me to movement bills. How do you see the women's March relating to that. Anniversary marches are happening for the #metoo movement . We have to continue the conversation and continue to speak up. >> This is for women to have the confidence to speak up and know that they are not alone. So they can move forward with the backing that they have from their sisters. Men need to speak up as well. If women want to make change, we need to continue the conversation. >> What have you planned at the women's March, to sign people up to vote? I know that is one of the goals at this year's March. >> We will have booths to go to and register. We have people that are trained. We have the League of Women Voters out there partnering with us. They will be registering people along with us. This is part of what we are trying to activate people to do. The only way for us to effectively affect change is to get out and vote. Over the past year we have seen how getting out to vote is an important way to make change. I want to give a shout out to African-American women in Alabama that created a change there in terms of voting. We have to get women to get out and have their voices heard. The best way to do that in the midterm election year is to vote. >> Give me the where and when of this Saturday's march? Obviously it is on Saturday. Where is it going to start, what is the route and are there speakers? >> The March starts at waterfront Park. It will go south on harbor and then turn on dead man's point it then comes North on Pacific Highway backup to Waterfront Park. We are doing a loop this year. The route is a little bit longer. It is 1.2 miles. We chose this route very carefully. We wanted to make sure it wasn't able route so that individuals with disabilities were able to participate. We also chose the option to loop back around to the same spot that we started so that individuals who could not March and could not join us in that way could stay at the park and enjoy entertainment as the rest of the crowd were marching and coming back to the park. We will have a very robust and very exciting program. That program starts at 10 AM. We will have performances, professional dancers and so on. We have a lot of speakers that will be speaking at this event. We will have politicians, community members, community organizers and leaders as well. It is exciting to see this program and present this to the community and bring this to San Diego. >> I have been speaking with Donyell Stewart.