OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Women, girls and other allies came together on Sunday for the 2022 Omaha Women's Day March to carry on the work of past generations and demand equity for the next.
Jo Giles, executive director of the Women's Fund of Omaha, said though there are still many blockades on the path to equality, there is hope for change.
“I see hope in each of your faces," Giles said. "In each person that showed up today and said, ‘We are here. See us. Believe us. Listen to us. We demand better.'”
Abortion access was on many minds, as a proposed six-week ban makes its way through the state legislature. Scout Richters, ACLU Nebraska's legal and policy counsel, encouraged those in attendance to contact their state legislatures to stop the bill.
“We need to keep reminding them and reminding them loudly and clearly to stop the bans," Richters said. "These decisions belong to Nebraskans and not politicians. They need to place their trust in Nebraskans, and not insert their personal beliefs into our lives."
Pay gaps were also touched on as they continue to impact women.
Women on average in Nebraska, make 77 cents to a man’s dollar, and in the U.S. pay gaps are recorded in nearly all occupations according to the Department of Labor.
Across the country, a higher percentage of women have left the workforce during the pandemic, especially women without a high school diploma according to a PEW Research study.
“The only way we will see change, is if we stop settling and keep demanding equal pay," said Maranda Adams, executive vice president of Blair Freeman Group. "Ladies if you don't hear anything else, hear this: know your worth and add tax."
Denise Blaya Powell, co-founder of Women who Run Nebraska, said one important way to create change is to elect women into office.
“This world was never designed for you," Powell said. "That's why it's hard, and that's why we're running because we're changing things. Your being here today is an act of rebellion in a world that never meant for you to succeed. So let's rebel."
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