Women’s March Washington State Jan. 21

WSNA is supporting the Women’s Marches being held throughout our state on January 21. Information about marches in Seattle, Bellingham, Olympia, Spokane, Whidbey, Yakima, Chelan and Friday Harbor can be found at www.womensmarchwastate.org.

As nurses, our Code of Ethics calls on us to promote, advocate for and protect the rights, health and safety of patients. As a labor union, we are called on to stand up for the rights of not only our labor brothers and sisters, but of all workers seeking greater economic prosperity for themselves and their families. That’s why, as an organization, we are supporting the Women’s Marches.

The Mission Statement for the National Women’s March in Washington D.C. says, in part:

“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.”

The Washington state mission statement includes:

“In response to the election many of us have felt scared, angry, or sad; but most importantly, this election has ignited the fire in many of us to stand up for human rights and get involved in our community.”

These are values consistent with what we stand for as WSNA, and we are proud to stand with our sisters and brothers across the nation on January 21. We hope you will, too.