Santa Barbara Women March for Harris

Spirited speeches, decorative pins, quirky posters, and pink hats took over De la Guerra Plaza on Saturday, marking the 2024 Santa Barbara Women’s March — a rally dedicated to urging residents to vote with the future of women’s rights in mind. While the gathering of about 50 people showcased widespread support for the Democratic platform and the fight for reproductive rights, it also highlighted a generational divide in political engagement.

The atmosphere was more reminiscent of a Kamala Harris and Tim Walz campaign event than a traditional women’s march, and the political alignment was unmistakable. The November 2 event, organized by Michal Lynch, a longtime Santa Barbara resident and veteran Women’s March organizer, reflected strong support for the Democratic platform, emphasizing women’s rights in health care. This reflects not only the sentiment of Santa Barbara or even Californian female voters; among all U.S. female voters, Harris is predicted to defeat Trump by 14 points (56 percent to 42 percent), according to a recent poll by ABC News/Ipsos.

The rally was followed by a march down State Street and a phone-banking session, where attendees were invited to participate in outreach efforts as a part of the Get Out the Vote (GOTV) initiative and “to keep engagement high right up to Election Day,” according to the organizers.

Attendees voiced a unified purpose for participating in the rally and march: protecting women’s rights. Groups like the Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County, World Dance for Humanity, and Craftivists for Change delivered powerful speeches to a crowd of about 60, stressing the critical role of voter turnout in safeguarding these rights.

However, some participants noticed one group missing: young people. Santa Barbara resident Leslie Robinson reflected on past struggles for gender equality, remarking, “We were discriminated against and denied jobs, credit cards, and treated poorly, denied being able to rent. Growing up, we actually experienced this, and so I think we appreciate it more. Now, we’re more worried about it going back to how it was.”

Despite this, Harris and Walz have a substantial lead among young women and college students ages 18-29, according to a poll study conducted by Harvard and Inside Higher Ed/Generation Lab, suggesting significant support from this demographic.

A key issue spotlighted both at this march and in several voter preference polls was the right to an abortion. Many posters and speeches addressed this topic, with one speaker rallying the crowd with her powerful declaration: “My body, my choice — my future, my voice.”

The 2024 Santa Barbara Women’s March served as both a rallying cry and a reminder of the stakes in the upcoming election. Participants left with a clear message: protecting women’s rights requires collective effort and unwavering commitment at the ballot box.