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Your guide to the SoCal Women's Marches
Los Angeles is preparing for the second annual Women’s March Saturday. The massive event gathered hundreds of thousands of people in downtown L.A. for the first time in 2017 one day after President Donald Trump was sworn in to office.
In the months following, online movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp shift the national conversation around sexual harassment and sexual violence, though march organizers have dubbed this year’s rally as a referendum to get people to the polls in November midterm election.
Who is participating?
Women’s March L.A. is the central organizer, but they’re partnering with dozens of social and activist groups and labor unions.
L.A.'s event is expected to be well attended by celebrities, including actors Scarlett Johansson and Chloe Bennet. Singers Melissa Etheridge and Idina Menzel will perform.
Where will the rallies be?
Major cities around the country will hold marches and rallies over the weekend.
- Women’s March LA gathers at Pershing Square at 8:30 a.m. marching to Grand Park starting at 10 a.m.
- The Roman Catholic Diocese of LA is sponsoring One Life LA, the local version of the National March for Life starting at La Placita Olvera at noon on Saturday.
- The Inland Empire will hold a march that starts and ends at the Historic Riverside Courthouse.
- The Orange County Women’s March begins at 9 a.m. at West Civic Center Drive and North Flower Street in Santa Ana.
- South Bay’s Women’s March starts at 10 a.m. at 245 N. Harbor Drive in Redondo Beach.
How do I get around the city?
Los Angeles Police expect Downtown L.A. to be congested. Roads from Cesar Chavez Avenue to the North, Alameda Street to the East, Olympic Boulevard to the South, and Figueroa Street to the West will be closed starting at 6 a.m. and continuing for 12 hours.
To accommodate increased traffic, Metro Rail lines will run trains more frequently than on a typical Saturday. MetroLink will also have special schedules from Antelope Valley, San Bernardino and Ventura County. Transportation officials recommend buying fares in advance to avoid crowding at the platform on Saturday morning.