Photos, Video: Hundreds Gather for Sister Women's March in Sag Harbor

SAG HARBOR, NY — Waving brightly color signs that read "I'm With Her," "Fight Like A Girl," and "Women's Rights are Human Rights," a crowd of hundreds gathered in Sag Harbor Saturday for a sister march in solidarity with those attending the Women's March on Washington 2017 Saturday.

The crowd gathered peacefully but with great passion to express their fears, anger and disappointment in new President Donald Trump.

Many said they were unable to attend the DC march but were thrilled to find a gathering close to home, in the community they love and cherish, where they strive to uphold the values they feel are threatened in the new political climate.

Nadia Ernestus of Sag Harbor said she turned out because she said Trump's statements have been a "personal insult to all women." In addition, she said, now more than ever, "We need to become a tighter community," going the extra mile to make immigrants feel safe and welcomed, supporting local farms and small businesses.

Ann Stewart, co-organizer of the event, brought her daughter Fairleigh, eight years old.

"We come in solidarity" with women not only in DC but "across the globe," Stewart said, adding that the goal is "to have a voice."

East Hampton's Vanessa Mothes said the reason was simple for her attendance: "I'm pissed off," she said.

"I don't want to go backward. I want to go forward," said Annie Barrett. "I'm scared." The government, she said, is "made up of smart and powerful people. How the hell did he get away with this?"

Others had eyes filled with tears.

"I'm here to oppose Trump," said Samantha Christie of East Hampton. "To fight for women's rights."

Carter Amaden, 14, agreed: "Women deserve to be heard."

Elizabeth Yektai, of Sag Harbor, brought her son Jasper, 12.

"He's here because I want to show him what it means to stand up for your rights. I don't believe the government should interfere with women's bodies," she said.

Other young girls raised their voices.

"This is a worldwide movement," said Emma Tiedemann, 13. "It's so important to be a part of this. We're making history. It's time."

Heidi Rain and Tom Oleszczuk of Noyac and Tina Jacobowtiz of Water Mill said they were present to fight for social justice.

Oleszczuk said Trump did "not have the popular majority" and won due to a the "peculiarity" of the United States' presidential election system, something not seen in other nations.

The event included speakers and a march down Sag Harbor's Main Street, with the crowd chanting, "Women's Rights Are Human Rights."

The Sag Harbor Women's March was held in solidarity with the Women's March in DC, and a similar event in New York City.

Meanwhile, across the East End, women and men stood strong and boarded buses Saturday and to head to The Women's March on Washington.

The event is meant to unite women who have been left feeling disenfranchised and disillusioned after the presidential election and Donald Trump's inauguration, which took place Friday.

According to the Women's March on Washington's Facebook page, the mission of the event is to meet in DC and be heard.

"We stand together in solidarity with our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health, and our families — recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country. The rhetoric of the past election cycle has insulted, demonized, and threatened many of us — women, immigrants of all statuses, those with diverse religious faiths particularly Muslim, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Native and Indigenous people, Black and Brown people, people with disabilities, the economically impoverished and survivors of sexual assault. We are confronted with the question of how to move forward in the face of national and international concern and fear," national organizers said.

The hope, organizers said, was to "join in diversity to show our presence in numbers too great to ignore. The Women’s March on Washington will send a bold message to our new administration on their first day in office, and to the world that women's rights are human rights. We stand together, recognizing that defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us. . . This march is the first step towards unifying our communities, grounded in new relationships, to create change from the grassroots level up. We will not rest until women have parity and equity at all levels of leadership in society. We work peacefully while recognizing there is no true peace without justice and equity for all. Hear our voice."

On both the North and South Forks women came together to gain traction and power. On both Forks, bus trips were organized.