Geneva mom, daughter team up for 2nd Women's March

GENEVA – Carrie Tritabaugh’s family had just moved to Geneva from Wisconsin two weeks before last year’s first-ever Women’s March Fox Valley.

They participated. And for this year, Carrie Tritabaugh and her daughter, Leah, 16, a junior at Geneva High School, volunteered for this year’s event.

“After attending the march and seeing what a powerful statement it made with so many people coming out on such a snowy freezing cold day – we were inspired to help out on leadership team this year,” Leah Tritabaugh said.

Mother and daughter serve with a half-dozen others on the social media leadership team, working to get the word out on various platforms.

The Women’s March Fox Valley 2020 is scheduled to begin at noon this Saturday at the Kane County Courthouse, 100 S. Third St., Geneva.

“Number one is women’s issues of all kinds, but the bigger picture is equality for all,” Carrie Tritabaugh said. “No matter what faith, gender, background, ethnicity, sexuality you are – really ... all we want is equality for all.”

Leah Tritabaugh said the march is important because there are still many issues for women who fight to have their voices heard.

And this march gives Fox Valley residents a voice, she said.

“It’s led by women, but it’s for everyone,” Leah Tritabaugh said. “And when we participate in local community causes like this, we are marching alongside millions of others around the world to promote equality and advocate for the rights that improve the lives of women.”

“There are so many new eligible voters for the election this year. The election is determined by those who show up to vote,” Carrie Tritabaugh said.

“One of the things Leah and I look at in particular, is the younger generation of voters coming up. There are so many eligible, it’s so important to encourage people to vote,” Carrie Tritabaugh said.

Social media sites the Tritabaughs have been hosting regarding the event are wecanleadchange.org, facebook.com/WELCFV, instagram.com/wmfvil, twitter.com/wmfvil and youtube.com/channel.

St. Charles resident Mary O’Connor, who organized the first event last year, said she is hoping for 1,000 or more people this year.

With a better weather forecast and more promotion on social media, O’Connor said she is optimistic about the turnout for the second event.

“We got a call from Benedictine University – they’re bringing a group out for a ‘teachable moment.’ Indivisible Aurora is involved,” O’Connor said. “I contemplate that this may be the largest gathering in 2020 of like-minded people in Kane County for this purpose: Our mission is to get out the vote.”

Speakers at the courthouse rally include Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon, who is expected to talk about getting a complete count for the 2020 census.

“In our districts, we must collaborate and we must work together,” O’Connor said. We are so pleased that Joe is joining us.”

U.S. Representatives Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, Bill Foster, D-Naperville and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Schaumburg, and State Rep. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago are all expected to speak before the march, O’Connor said.

Participants will rally in the parking lot behind the courthouse for the speakers before marching down Third Street.

Candidates who attend will be at a meet-and-greet following the march at Cafe & Bar, 407 S. Third St., Geneva, O’Connor said.

What is important about hosting this march in the Fox Valley is that everything begins at the local level, O’Connor said.

“It’s easier to join the throngs downtown (Chicago), but this is about our community. This is about our counties and we are pretty excited to see so many more people and merchants more welcoming to us,” O’Connor said. “Downtown Geneva has been terrific to us.”