‘We Need to Stand Up’: Why One South Orange Family Is Marching

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Around 100,000 people are expected to attend the Women’s March in New York City on Saturday, in support of equality and civil liberties, on the heels of Friday’s inauguration of Donald J. Trump.

Among them will be members of the Weeks Family of South Orange. “We’re marching because we think it is extremely important to make a statement about our opposition to Trump’s view of women and to the policies he and the Republicans intend to enact that will negatively affect millions of Americans, whether in the area of healthcare, education, the environment, housing, and the list goes on,” said Cathy Lankenau-Weeks.

The Weeks Family: Back row, Chris and Cathy, Front row, Fernanda and Wendy

The Weeks Family: Back row, Chris and Cathy, Front row, Fernanda and Wendy

She continued, “We reject his flagrant disrespect for women and his prejudice against Muslims, Latinos, disabled people, and again the list goes on, unfortunately.  We hope the March will be a strong message to Trump and to all politicians that we are paying attention and that we will not stand by quietly as they try to go forward with their plans.”

The Weeks contingent, marching as part of the group Eleanor’s Legacy, includes: Cathy’s mother Alison Lankenau, her sister Christine Lankenau Kurlander, her daughters Fernanda (17) and Wendy (14), close family friends Alli Ferro and Mary Ann Mailman, and several other female friends.
The lone male in the group is Cathy’s husband and Fernanda’s and Wendy’s father, Chris. “We will all be wearing pussyhats or pussy ears — including Chris!” said Cathy.
Fernanda said she is marching because Trump has insulted women and is “racist and homophobic and everything else I don’t like.”
Wendy, an 8th grader at South Orange Middle School, said, “I’m marching because Trump is mean against females, African-Americans, Hispanics and Muslims. We need to stand up for what we believe.”

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