Women's March Oakland partners with BWOPA, IGNITE and the Women's Foundation of CA for 2020 march

The fourth annual Women’s March Oakland will take place on Saturday, January 18, 2020, in partnership with Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), IGNITE and the Women’s Foundation of California.

Women’s March Oakland 2020 has a single goal: getting everyone counted in 2020. Marchers will mobilize to raise awareness, volunteer hours and funding to get a complete census count in Alameda County and make their voices heard at the polls.

"BWOPA is excited to co-host Women's March Oakland once again, and this year's focus on the census is particularly important to our historically undercounted community," says BWOPA local area chapter president LaNiece Jones. "The 2020 Census is a once-in-a-decade chance to ensure that we get our fair share of federal funding allocated for critical social services. We are working with partners statewide to ensure Black residents receive accurate, timely and reliable information to better understand what’s at stake and how census data impacts our daily lives. To avoid leaving money on the table, every single person needs to do their part."

Women’s March Oakland 2020 will kick off a weekend of East Bay action with an interfaith activism training on Sunday and local volunteering on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. “Coming together to walk side by side we remind ourselves and each other just how powerful we are. And right now we need to feel our power,” says Surina Khan, CEO of the Women’s Foundation of California.

“As we begin this new decade, the threats we face are many, but we stand fierce in our commitment to inclusion, agency and belonging. At the Women’s Foundation of California, we know that the people closest to the problems are also closest to the solutions we so desperately need,” she continues. “So in this moment when so much is at stake, let’s listen to the leadership and wisdom of women—especially women of color, immigrant women and trans and gender nonconforming folks. Let’s make sure everyone is counted and cared for and included. Together, we can realize the healthy, just and thriving communities that we deserve in Alameda county and all of California.”

In addition to a march through the streets of downtown Oakland, the nonpartisan, peaceful event will feature self-identified women speakers and performers addressing the issues that matter most to them and their communities, from economic justice to immigrant rights to political participation.

"2020 is going to be a monumental year across this nation and in Oakland. We believe every woman has political power,” says Esmeralda Cortez Rosales, IGNITE’s West Coast program manager. “Co-hosting Women's March Oakland means that we are ready to mobilize women in masses we have never seen before to make sure our voices are heard both locally and nationally."

The 2020 march in Oakland will also include the biggest Community Action Fair in its history, with entertainment, food, art and a wide range of organizations offering opportunities to make a difference in Alameda County.

Registration is now open at womensmarchoakland2020.eventbrite.com. Marching is free, but donations are encouraged to help with the cost of organizing the event. Community members interested in volunteering can sign up at womensmarchoakland.org/volunteer.