Thousands of people gather at Washington, D.C and other cities across the country to be a voice for those who can not speak for themselves. The March For Life is an annual event that happens all over the United States and Canada to peacefully try to end abortion.  

Every Jan. since the 1973 Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade, many people have come to Washington to march for the rights of unborn children. Roe, whose real name is Nellie, started the march a year after her case. Roe v. Wade had a 7-2 vote in favor of Roe, which made abortion legal. This year was the 46th annual March for Life, where thousands of people came from all over the United States to join together and march. I was fortunate enough to be a participant in this year’s march, which began at the National Mall and proceeded to the Supreme Court, making the walk 1.7 miles.  Every year the march has a different theme, with 2019’s theme being “Unique from Day One”, which shows us just how different and special each of us are from the first day.

Before the march starts, marchers have the opportunity to hear many inspirational stories from pro-life speakers telling their stories. This year at the march, the speakers included Abby Johnson, Ben Shapiro, Dr. Kathi Aultman, United States Vice President Mike Pence, and many congressmen and women.  These speakers shared why the March for Life is important to them, and hearing their stories was truly moving. To touch on one speaker, in particular, Dr. Kathi Aultman was a certified obstetrician and gynecologist. She worked at Planned Parenthood’s abortion clinic for four years, where she performed abortions and even had an abortion when she first became pregnant. When Aultman was pregnant for the second time, she kept her baby and could no longer bring herself to perform abortions. Another phenomenal speaker was Abby Johnson, who spent eight years working with Planned Parenthood. She stopped working at the clinic in 2009 and started an organization called And Then There Were None, where she has helped hundreds of abortion clinic workers leave their jobs and find a new one. Both of these women had a great change of heart and being able to hear their stories was encouraging.

Being able to participate in this march was an incredible experience. It showed me just how many people are working alongside each other despite their differences for one cause. Since the march, I have realized that if we are truly going to end abortion, we need to be able to put aside our differences and work together for our common goal. So many lessons can be learned from taking part in March for Life. One participant, who wanted to remain anonymous, stated that the march “made me think about how I can work to act upon my pro-life beliefs in my everyday life.”  

The March for Life is a huge event that thousands participate in and support every year. You learn how to stand up for your cause in a peaceful manner and how to truly live a pro-life lifestyle.