More than 200 women, girls and allies participated in a Women’s March on Vashon on Saturday, Oct. 17, joining thousands of other activists in similar marches in cities and towns across the country happening on the same day.

Vashon’s march — which moved briskly on sidewalks from Ober Park to the movie theater, and back again — was hosted by Vashon Sisterhood and Women Hold the Key, two local organizations.

Leading the march were two of Vashon’s unofficial mayors, Raena Joyce and Selene Dalinis, who along with Maarten Ribalet-Coesel and Lucca Hanen, won the annual Vashon Chamber-sponsored contest this summer, running on the platform of support for Vashon Sisterhood.

The organization is dedicated to supporting the healthy social and emotional development of girls and female-identifying students in Vashon’s schools.

Signs held aloft on the march espoused human rights, the importance of voting, environmental causes, equality and reproductive health care.

Many mother-daughter duos joined in the socially-distanced and fully masked march.

Clara Cullup, at age 9, stood with her mother, Allison Cullup, at Ober Park after the march, and they shared their excitement in having just completed Clara’s first-ever march.

Clara’s sign — hand-lettered on neon-bright paper — showed her avid interest and budding knowledge about environmental causes.

“Save the ocean, forests, streams and rain forest,” the sign read. “Stop destroying the world! Stop climate change.”

Allison’s sign offered a quote from Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “Fight for the things you believe in, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

— Elizabeth Shepherd