At 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 21st, 2017, more than 100,000 people will gather at the intersection of Independence Avenue and Third Street SW in Washington, D.C. to protest against the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th United States president, which will occur the previous day, Friday, January 20th.

This protest was the brainchild of Teresa Shook, a retired woman in her 60s who proposed the idea to her Facebook friends in the post-election hours. It quickly took hold of the inflamed passions of anti-Trump activists, and less than 12 hours after its birth, 10,000 people were confirmed as attending the march. The number has skyrocketed since then, and groups in other parts of the country are creating local events of the same nature. There will be marches in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, also at 10 a.m. on January 21st.

The name “Women’s March” is clearly controversial due to its specificity toward the sex of those participating. But rest assured, all you non-female activists—everyone is welcome to  participate. The name itself alludes to the 1963 March on Washington, a historic civil rights march and rally led by Martin Luther King, Jr. It was at this protest that King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.

There may be some people reading this article that are thinking, “What a load of bull!” You may believe that protesting will do nothing, that liberals complaining about the election results are just whiny, that their voices are but echoless shouts into the post-election void. This is a perfectly valid opinion to possess, but in light of some comments I heard in response to Analy High School’s very own post-election walkout, I would like to take the opportunity to respond.

I don’t protest to spark direct change. I don’t believe our 150-student walkout was a catalyst to a national reaction by any means. However, I do believe in the power of uniting in a common belief. Those of us standing in a circle at the front of the school, singing and chanting and holding hands, we stood together, in solidarity against the discrimination, harassment, and just plain bullying that fed the hungry mouth of Trump’s campaign. That doesn’t mean we’re planning a Hunger Games-esque rebellion against his presidency. What it does mean is that we will not stand idly by while our fellow immigrants, women, people of color, disabled people, or members of the queer community are belittled and made to feel like they don’t belong in this country.

I will not walk out on the United States because I don’t like the president. But I won’t allow his actions to represent me as a woman, or as an American. I will fight to make my voice known, and I will uplift those whose voices may be quieter than mine. That is what protesting means to me. If you agree, then join me, join us, on January 21st in the Women’s March, from wherever you can. Our fight is far from over. But our voices matter. Let them be heard.