Launch of March On’s “Operation Marching Orders: Crowdsourcing Our Agenda” Timed to Coincide with the Anniversary Actions of #WeekendOfWomen
Today, March On announces that January 20-21, 2018 is the #WeekendOfWomen, a weekend of nationwide anniversary actions celebrating the historic women’s marches that occurred across the country last January. Vanessa Wruble, Executive Director of March On, said, “This #WeekendOfWomen marks the kick-off of March On’s ‘March On The Polls 2018’ election program, in which our nationwide network of affiliates will help activate, organize and mobilize women across the country as we head into what will surely be another political Year Of The Woman.”
March On is coordinating two layers of events as part of #WeekendOfWomen: the “J20 Anniversary Actions” occurring in cities across the country and shown on the map here (http://marchonthepolls.org) and Operation Marching Orders parties, both described below.
J20 Anniversary Actions: As of today, there are over 80 anniversary actions ranging from marches to rallies to parties scheduled to occur across the country as shown on the map here, http://marchonthepolls.org. Many cities, towns and communities have been planning these anniversary actions to celebrate the anniversary of the women’s marches of January 2017 and to kick off political actions as part of March On’s March On The Polls 2018 program. March On is offering support ranging from an event planning toolkit to graphics to website and technical support for both affiliates and other groups coordinating with the national effort.
Operation Marching Orders (OMO): Operation Marching Orders is March On’s program for using cutting-edge civic technology to crowdsource major decisions facing the organization and in that way, give the leadership of March On its “marching orders.” If we expect people to do the hard work necessary to fight for the candidates and causes that March On will support, we must first give the people the power to make those decisions. Our first round of Operation Marching Orders, “Crowdsourcing Our Agenda,” will kick off on January 20th and be open for a ten day period. Supporters will be encouraged to host OMO Parties, which can be held in conjunction with anniversary actions or as a way for anyone to mark the anniversary, regardless of whether they live in proximity to a planned anniversary action. In addition to providing guidance about our agenda, OMO Parties are a major component of in-person community building that March On hopes to foster. As we head into the midterm elections, in-person organizing is critically important, both as a way of setting the foundation for coordinated political action as well as to provide an outlet for community during what many see has a dark time in our nation’s history. We hope that centering OMO around house parties will provide an avenue for connecting in real life and forging a plan for political action together.
Jaquie Algee, President of the Board of March On said, “We are excited to announce our #WeekendOfWomen activities as we kick-off our March On The Polls 2018 political initiative. Recent elections in Virginia and Alabama are clear signs we are moving in the right direction. The scope and breadth of our national reach – as vividly demonstrated by the network of anniversary actions planned – is a hallmark of the political muscle we will flex as women impact elections up and down the ballot in 2018.”
Carolyn Jasik, a member of March On’s Leadership Board and co-lead for the J20 Anniversary Actions said, “March On is proud to partner with our affiliates across the country as we kick off a year of activism around the 2018 elections. We believe the key to the next election will be the women’s vote. Getting women to the polls starts at the ground level by engaging with local groups and giving them the tools they need to engage their community.”
Jessica Scheller, a member of March On’s Leadership Board, co-lead for the J20 Anniversary Actions, and a leader of March On affiliate “Women’s March Chicago,” said, “March On is pleased to offer an array of support tools to March On affiliates and other march organizers across the country. We felt our power last January when over 5 million women and allies marched; now we are determined to bring the power of the March On coalition to bear on winning elections in 2018.”
Renee Tafoya an organizer of Cody, Wyoming, added, “Wyoming is one of the reddest states in the nation. Yet the day after Trump’s inauguration in 2017 a quickly planned protest march turned out 400+ people in Cody. In a county of 1200 – that’s damned impressive. Our group and others like it have risen across Wyoming to give voice to citizens who believed they were outnumbered – but when we came together we realized we can have significant influence. We are marching again January 21, 2018 and we intend to influence this state, and hopefully, our Members of Congress.”
March On is a new political organization comprised of women-led political activist groups that grew out of the women’s marches of January 21, 2017. They have come together as a united force to take concrete, coordinated actions at the federal, state, and local levels to impact elections and take our country in a better direction. March On was actively involved in the Virginia elections and the Special Election in Alabama through affiliates and strategic partner organizations. Women-led, but open to all, March On is putting its “marchroots” community at the center of major decisions, using cutting edge civic technology platforms to forge consensus and crowdsource the types of candidates to support or oppose and which issues to prioritize. March On is not affiliated with Women’s March, Inc.
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