Hoosier Women's March participants talk 2018 wishes and what's next for #MeToo

A year ago, droves of people marched in Washington D.C. and around the world to speak up for women's rights and protest President Donald Trump's inauguration. On Saturday, supporters of progressive causes united once again for the Women's March on Washington — Indiana.

Indianapolis' protest joined others all over the country in a mission to galavanize people to visit the polls. 

"Last year, it was really about the day and the actual event. And this year, it's about following that through to our individual states, to our individual communities and pushing that one-time event into a long-lasting movement that's going to carry us through, really, the next four years but especially the midterm elections in 2018," said Savannah Pearlman, communications director for the Women's March Washington — Indiana.

Saturday's march, which included speakers and a walk from American Legion Mall to the Indiana Statehouse, highlighted protesters' desires for women's rights, abortion rights, environmental protections and racial equality, among others, Pearlman said.

Dotted throughout the event were places to register to vote and sign up to be a precinct committee persons and state party delegates.

An Indiana State Police officer on patrol estimated the crowd topped out at around 3,500 — and possibly 4,000 — for the day.

IndyStar asked marchers about the movement's future and what will happen next in the fight against sexual harassment.

What is one wish you have for 2018?

"The redistricting issue, for me. Gerrymandering is big." — Kelly Johnson, Carlisle

"That the country would start focusing on education nationwide so that we could start resistance to bigotry and homophobia, xenophobia at a young age so we could educate kids that that is not OK." — Shelby Hart, Indianapolis

"That Bob Mueller will find a reason that we can get rid of Donald Trump." — Evelyn Whitton, Indianapolis

What will happen next in the #MeToo movement?

"I'm afraid I think it will fade. ... The people that are the haves are still going to be the haves. So maybe they'll be subtler." — Rachael Jones, Brown County

"I think a lot of men don't understand what's appropriate, what's not appropriate, and we're going to have to do this massive reteaching. But I'm not sure yet whether that's going to get to working-class women like we want it to. ... So many of us without such high-profile jobs are not guaranteed the justice that we're deserved." — Abigail Curdes, Chesterton

"What should happen is that we start to see other men speak up to their fellow men about this movement and about the outrageousness that is sexual harassment and understanding consent and equality within a relationship." — Aidan Baker, Indianapolis

"The next thing that should happen is that we start taking more action towards people in politics. We see all of these people involved in entertainment being dethroned, and I think that the same thing should occur in politics." — Naomi Jackson, Indianapolis

What could the Women's March movement do better?

"On Facebook, the communication (about the Women's March in Indiana) was, in my opinion, a mess. ... There's just a lot of conflicting things online with what date it is, what time it was. ... Maybe there's just too many people doing their own thing, and there needs to be more collaboration." — Justin Smith, Greenwood

"It needs to get rid of white feminism." — Shelby Hart, Indianapolis

"Just being more intersectional and thinking about problems that all women (face) and not just, you know, women in the middle class or white women but realizing that your personal experience and what you want feminism to do for you isn't indicative of everyone." — Ainsley George, Farmland

Call IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339. Follow her on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.