DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, FL — Community members in Tallahassee gathered at Cascades Park on Sunday and marched to the Florida State Capitol to mark International Women's Day.
Organized by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the event aimed to celebrate women’s contributions while calling attention to issues such as women’s rights, immigration policies, and family separation.
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Participants said the march was meant to empower women, honor their sacrifices around the world, and encourage the Tallahassee community to stand together in support of equality and justice.
Regina Joseph, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said the event was about solidarity across borders.
"We're here today because we want to stand with all women, whether in the United States or abroad, to stand up for women's rights and to stand against war and to make sure that families are being kept together and protected."
For some marchers, the cause was deeply personal.
Joseph, who said she is the child of immigrants, described why she felt compelled to participate.
"This protest is important to me because I am the child of immigrants, and I understand that immigrants are what make this country run and what make this country the country that it is. And I want to make sure that everyone knows that we can come together and stand up and fight back and make sure that we're actually getting the rights and dignity that we deserve."
Participants said events like the march are meant to spark conversations within the Tallahassee community about how global issues connect to local lives.
Protester Jayla Jones said the march was also an opportunity to honor women around the world.
"We want to really honor the resistance that women across the globe have shown. These women, it's just very important for us to recognize these women, the sacrifices that they make for their countries. They are human, and they do not deserve to go through these atrocities."
As the group made its way toward the Capitol, organizers said their message centered on empowerment and community.
"What we want them to understand is to be empowered, the message of uplifting women, and that means standing up for them in the workplace. It means standing up for them within our neighborhoods," Joseph said.
Organizers said marches like this are meant to remind people that the fight for equality and justice starts at the community level.
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