On Nov. 2, Parker Plaza, nestled beside Reser Stadium, pulsed with the beat of Taylor Swift’s “The Man” as around 100 community members gathered in unity for the “Get Out to Vote” Women’s March.
The anthem’s lyrics, “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can, wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man,” set the tone for the event, underscoring the march’s mission to empower women and advocate for equality. Rallying together in solidarity, participants prepared to march, united in their commitment to voter participation and social justice.
Led by Allison Doss, a second-year political science pre-law student at Oregon State University, the event sought to empower women, inspire voter turnout and promote social justice.
“Protesting and marching are very important things, but they are nothing without actually changing the government through voting and the electoral process,” Doss said. “We’re just … having a good time, and celebrating women empowerment and the rights of all people.”
Among the attendees was Kate Feldman, 20-year-old Corvallis resident and television producer. Feldman brought with her a “pussyhat,” a symbolic item which emerged during the 2016 Women’s March in Los Angeles.
Feldman wore a symbol to the march: a hand-knitted pink “pussy hat.”
The Pussyhat project started in Los Angeles in 2016 with the hope of representing the fight for women’s rights. Soon, the Pussy hats appeared on people’s heads across the nation as protests had started after the inauguration of former President Donald Trump.
Reflecting on this legacy, Feldman said,“I’m here just to stand up for sovereignty, for women to have sovereignty over their own bodies.”
Morgan Eves, a third-year majoring in civil engineering at OSU, is voting in the presidential election this year for the first time.
“It’s really important to use your voice because women, especially, fought so hard for this right,” Eves said.
When asked for advice for her peers, Eves said, “It’s important to vote and support your rights.”
As the march winded down in Corvallis’ Central Park, the crowd gathered around a lineup of speakers, including several Oregon State Senate members.
Among them was Sarah Finger McDonald, a candidate for state representative widely known for her advocacy on healthcare, gun safety and abortion rights.
McDonald stood before the crowd, rallying them to take action through voting, emphasizing that real change is within their grasp if they elect representatives who will uphold their values and safeguard their rights.
McDonald said in her speech addressing the crowd, “We can provide the votes to put the people we need in office, in the state legislature, in our statewide offices, for treasurer, for attorney general, for secretary of state, to hold the line and protect our values and our rights in Oregon.”
For more information about the upcoming election, visit Oregon State University’s website https://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/election-resources, which provides accurate information about Election Day and how to drop off a ballot.
The Oregon Drop Box Locator can be found here: https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/drop-box-locator.aspx
There are two campus ballot drop boxes:
One is located at OSU Gill Coliseum, 660 SW 26th St., Corvallis, OR 97331.
The other is located at Valley Library, 201 SW Waldo Place, Corvallis, OR 97331.
