The Equality March is winding thru downtown to a rally on the National Mall pic.twitter.com/1bkPrLG5vq
— John Domen (@JDDsays) June 11, 2017
The Equality March winds through downtown D.C. to a rally on the National Mall. (WTOP/John Domen via Twitter).
As people keep streaming in, a sing along has broken out. This is the third song. pic.twitter.com/sgCISeCcmC
— John Domen (@JDDsays) June 11, 2017
WASHINGTON — Thousands marched through the streets of downtown D.C. on Sunday, from near Farragut Square, past the White House, and to the National Mall as part of the 2017 Equality March.
Chants of “What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now!” echoed through the streets. Marchers also chanted “Love, not hate, makes America great” as they made their way through Lafayette Square.
At the rally on the National Mall, speakers asked for everyone — regardless of their sexual orientation — to stand together as one community.
“The LGBTQ community is black, is Jewish, is Latina, is Muslim, differently abled,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and CEO of GLAAD. “Bi, trans and non-binary. We are women, we are immigrants. We are in every community. And we will stand united.”
Other speakers included former Washington Wizards forward Jason Collins, actor Charlie Carver and actor Asia Kate Dillon. “We march to affirm that human beings are far more complex than we ever thought,” Dillon said, adding: “and how beautiful that complexity truly makes every one of us.”
A banner in front of the stage remembered the 49 victims who died in the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando 364 days ago. Some of the survivors were also there, including Demetrius Knowlings.
“I was at Pulse that night and lost my best friend Eddie Justice, the gentleman that was in the bathroom texting his mother that he didn’t want to die. He wanted to live,” said Knowlings, who vowed that “we will not go in silence … we will continue to fight.”
