Local 965 Joins Fayetteville Women’s March 2018

 

Mike Pierce (from left), Ted Swedenburg, Kelly Hammond, Bret Schulte and Steve Boss manage the Local 965 information table Jan. 20 at the Fayetteville Women’s March 2018, at the downtown square.
Photo, Betty Martin
Bret Schulte (from left), Ben Pollock and Kelly Hammond take a breather while running the Local 965 information table Jan. 20 at the Fayetteville Women’s March 2018, at the downtown square.
Photo, Betty Martin
Local 965 members Steve Boss and Bret Schulte at the Fayetteville Women’s March 2018 on Jan. 20.
Photo, Betty Martin
AFSCME members Ben Pollock (left) and Ted Swedenburg parade the Local 965 banner Jan. 20 at the Fayetteville Women’s March 2018. Member Steve boss’s shoulder is at far left.
Photo, Christy Pollock

Members of Local 965, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees participated in the Fayetteville Women’s March 2018 on Jan. 20.

A rally began the program at noon outside the Fayetteville Town Center. Local blues singer Ocie Fisher serenaded the crowd that easily surpassed 1,000 women, men, a number of children and a few pets. Rally organizers estimated 3,000 people attended.

Speakers included area politicians such as 965 member Mayor Lioneld Jordan, and prominent activists such as 965 member Law School Professor Cyndia Nance, Mohja Kahf, Blanca Estevez, Evelyn Rios Stafford, Raven Cook and Caitlin Wood.

The march portion of the program began about 1:30. While originally set to head a few blocks north to the Washington County Courthouse on sidewalks alongside College Avenue (U.S. 71 Business), rally leaders accepted civil authorities’ request to travel a similar distance east along Mountain Street ending at the Fayetteville Public Library.

965 members President Betty Martin, Steve Boss, Mike Pierce, Bret Schulte, Ted Swedenburg, Kelly Hammond and Ben Pollock ran the information table and later held its 6×3-foot bright green banner through the march.

Here are news reports of the event. Updates will be noted.