LIFE

'A Day Without a Woman' march comes to Jersey

Liz Dennerlein
@lizdennerlein

Janaya Lewinski, Neptune Township, speaks to people gathered outside the Monmouth University Library on Wednesday, March 8, 2017, in West Long Branch, before a Women’s Day March held there.

Jamilah McMillan is what she calls a triple minority — she’s an African-American Muslim woman.

The South River resident and 21-year-old senior, who studies at Monmouth University in Long Branch, said she acts as a voice for the minority population on her campus.

She is currently the president of Monmouth’s Muslim Student Association, and one of the founders of SAGE, Monmouth's organization to promote and protect the rights of women and girls nationally.

McMillan said she's always been an activist on her campus.

Wednesday is no different. She will be celebrating International Women's Day by marching with students and faculty starting at 2:30 p.m. outside the library to Wilson Hall. McMillan said today's march is about more than just standing up for women’s equality. It’s a time when students can discuss important issues regarding gender, race, religion and LGBT rights.

The march also coincides with “A Day Without a Woman,” protest, which is happening across the nation. Many women will skip work and not spend money to show their economic importance.

“A day without me would be one less Muslim woman on this campus,” McMillan said. “A day without me would be one less black woman who’s able to represent and speak about injustices that happened to my people. A day without me would be one less optimist of this country actually being greater for everyone."

McMillan said the march is a beautiful example of students of all different backgrounds coming together to discuss important issues under the umbrella of a women’s march.

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Other universities, like Rutgers in New Brunswick, will also be taking part in the event. Rutgers students and faculty will stage a walkout at 2 p.m. today and gather at Voorhees Mall to discuss women’s and minority rights.

Johanna Foster, Monmouth University’s assistant professor of Sociology, said she noticed a groundswell of interest in protecting human rights among students in the current political climate.

She added that globally we still don’t have a world where women are treated as full citizens with essential freedoms.

“We’re seeing a range of attacks on the gains of the feminist movement in the U.S.,” Foster said. “I think students on campus are becoming increasingly concerned.”

She said there have also been attacks on immigrants, different races, the LGBT community, and lower classes.

“Marching is a wonderful opportunity to gain solidarity and be heard,” Foster said, “but I do think what has to happen is students should learn to take their voice and work with others to impact change directly. They need to be voting, changing the politics, forming organizations that can put pressure on the folks who are decision makers.”

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After the march, there will be an open mic from 3 to 4 p.m. followed by a screening of the documentary, “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry.”

Jane Lai, a 19-year-old sophomore at Monmouth, who is also the vice president of SPECTRUM, the LGBTQ club on campus, said she hopes the march will break down boundaries on campus.

“It’s more like a diversity march,” Lai said. “It’s not a very partisan sided march. Everyone has a voice.”