One year after almost 1,000 people gathered in front of the Alaska State Capitol for a demonstration of women’s rights, organizers are planning a sequel event.
Hundreds of people are expected to gather Saturday on 4th Street for a rally intended to motivate people to become involved with a variety of causes, said organizer Karla Hart.
The event starts at 10 a.m., and the climax is an 11 a.m. march from the Capitol to Marine Park. Fourth Street will be closed to traffic while the rally takes place.
“It should be fun: We’ve got good music and a really good lineup of speakers,” she said by phone.
Last year’s women’s march was intended to be a show of solidarity and support. Hart wasn’t involved in organizing that event, but she wanted to put together a second round with a more pointed message.
“We’ve asked each speaker this year to have a call to action associated with their presentation,” she said, adding that participants will be allowed to get political.
This year’s speakers include Beth Kerttula; Lt. Governor Byron Mallott; Rep. Ivy Spohnholz, D-Anchorage; Kate Troll, Kerri Willoughby; Libby Bakalar; and Skye Kainani Marie Van Valin.
From her office in the Capitol, Spohnholz said she is “looking forward to being with a lot of Alaska sisters who care about women and about our success and equity.”
She said people at the rally might have different immediate goals, but they have a similar aim.
“I think we want everybody to leave feeling more camaraderie. We want them to feel energized and optimistic about the next year and what we can do as women,” she said.
Other events are scheduled to take place in cities across the country and across Alaska, including in Fairbanks and Anchorage.
Hart said attendees are encouraged to bring signs, and a poster-making workshop will take place on Friday evening as part of the LunaFest film festival in the Juneau Art and Culture Center.
Organizers will begin gathering at 9:30 a.m., with music from DJ Manu starting at 9:45 a.m. The first speaker will take the steps of the Capitol at 10 a.m., and after the march at 11 a.m., participants are being encouraged to get coffee and continue the conversation.
The weather forecast for Saturday calls for clear skies and temperatures in the upper 20s or low 30s.
Both Hart and Spohnholz offered some simple advice to attendees: “I think the big news is everybody needs to dress warm. Last year was very cold,” Spohnholz said.
• Contact reporter James Brooks at james.k.brooks@juneauempire.com or call 523-2258.
