News

News that organizers of Eureka’s Women’s March have canceled this year’s event amid concerns that past incarnations have been “overwhelmingly white” have gained national attention.

Today, The Washington Post, Fox News, Newsweek, Slate, The Hill, Breitbart and other media outlets have all published stories about local organizers’ decision.

The 2017 Women’s March in Eureka drew as many as 8,000 people and is believed to have been the largest march or rally in Eureka history. Last year’s event wasn’t as well attended, but still drew as many as 5,000 to Old Town, Eureka, to hear a handful of speeches and march through the streets to protest Trump, promote the #MeToo movement, advocate women’s rights and other issues of the day.

News that this year’s event was being canceled came as a shock to most in the community. The march’s organizing committee sent out a press release Friday announcing the move, saying it made the decision “after many conversations between local social-change organizations and supporters of the march.”

“The local organizers are continuing to meet and discuss how to broaden representation in the organizing committee to create an event that represents and supports peoples who live here in Humboldt,” the press release stated. “UP to this point, participants have been overwhelmingly white, lacking representation from several perspectives in our community. Instead of pushing forward with crucial voices absent, the organizing team will take time for more outreach. Our goal is that planning will continue and we will be successful in creating an event that will build power and community engagement through connection between women that seek to improve the lives of all in our community.”


While there has been some controversy nationally surrounding the Women’s March, its organizers and the inclusivity of the event, nothing like that has been publicly evident locally in the wake of the event.

The Journal has reached out to a variety of local organizations and advocates to learn more about the situation surrounding the decision to cancel this year’s event. We’ll report more as we learn it.

See the full press release copied below and check out slideshows from previous years:

December 28, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Humboldt County organizers and supporters of the annual Women's March have decided to not hold a rally in Eureka on January 19th. This decision was made after many conversations between local social-change organizers and supporters of the march.

The local organizers are continuing to meet and discuss how to broaden representation in the organizing committee to create an event that represents and supports peoples who live here in Humboldt. Up to this point, the participants have been overwhelmingly white, lacking representation from several perspectives in our community. Instead of pushing forward with crucial voices absent, the organizing team will take time for more outreach. Our goal is that planning will continue and we will be successful in creating an event that will build power and community engagement through connection between women that seek to improve the lives of all in our community.

The group is exploring holding an event in March to celebrate International Women’s Day. Anyone interested in helping organize these events are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The Eureka Women's March organizing committee encourages local supporters to attend the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Eureka on January 21, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

For more information, and to get involved, visit the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/142918803064495/or email [email protected].