I heard rumblings through my social media network last week about the Women’s March that took place yesterday in my home city of New York but I was completely unaware that there would be one taking place here in London until a colleague mentioned it while we reluctantly watched the inauguration playing on every television in the office on Friday. I had never participated in a march or rally but I decided in that moment that I would attend. Marchers assembled at the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square and marched to Trafalgar Square where I joined the thousands of women, men and children in peaceful protest against the racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-immigration and anti-environmental mindset and policies of the newly inaugurated President Trump and his administration.

It wasn’t until I returned home and saw the media coverage of marches held in cities around the US and the world that I felt a sense of hope that hate had not won evidenced by the fact that millions globally rose up in unison to support the ideals that I believe already made America great, but not perfect. The world is more than watching, it is speaking out and taking action. These marches were a demonstration that the world will not be complicit in the Trump administration’s discriminatory agenda. Until now, I have been passively active in the political process; voting in every election, signing petitions and sharing articles and commenting on social media, but I have a feeling that this will not be my last march or rally.