In Atlanta, 'Power To The Polls' Marks Women's March Anniversary

ATLANTA, GA — A year after women in Atlanta joined others across the country in a series of well-attended political marches, organizers are hoping to direct that same energy toward turnout at the polls for 2018 elections.

A Power to the Polls rally is scheduled for noon Saturday at The Bakery Atlanta, at 825 Warner St. The event is being organized by the same group behind last year's Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women.

Predicted to attract about 10,000 participants, the Jan. 21, 2017 march in Atlanta drew roughly 60,000, making it one of the largest political events in Georgia history and one of the largest gatherings in the nation associated with the Women's March In Washington, held one day after President Donald Trump's inauguration.

Instead of holding another march this year, the Georgia Alliance for Social Justice hopes to use the rally to focus attention on this year's midterm elections. Actress Alyssa Milano has been announced as one of the speakers at the event.

It's not the first foray into Georgia politics for Milano, who has spent time in the Atlanta area filming. In March, she went door-to-door campaigning for Democratic congressional candidate Jon Ossoff, who ended up losing narrowly to Republican Karen Handel in a runoff election.

"We have demonstrated our might through the largest single civil rights march in Georgia history, now we must prepare to show our might in the legislature and at the polls," the alliance said on the event's Facebook page. "We are going to party, we’re going to rally with inspiring speakers, and we are going to introduce you to our Social Justice City."

Social Justice City, according to the post, will be a chance for participants to meet with local groups working on progressive social and political issues, register to vote and meet one-on-one with local elected officials and candidates.

Also among the event's stated goals is inspiring more progressive political candidates — particularly women and minorities — to run for office and to educate voters on federal, state and local issues expected to be front and center in the coming year.

Others scheduled to speak at the rally include Congressmen John Lewis and Hank Johnson, New Georgia Project director Nse Ufot, Planned Parenthood of the Southeast president Staci Fox, Georgia DREAMer Marisol Estrada, racial-justice and civil-rights activist Linda Sarsour and more.

Photo via Pixabay