The day after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office, women from across North America will march in Washington D.C. in solidarity for women's rights.
On January 21, a contingent of at least 56 women will take part in an event that has morphed into a global movement to maintain the gains women have made after an ugly election presidential campaign that highlighted for many how far the road to gender equality continues to stretch. They'll join women from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and across the United States in a Women's March On Washington.
Pat Papadeas is organizing a bus from Windsor. She calls the election campaign a sober wake-up call.
"There was, I think -- up until recently -- the sense that we're doing alright," says Papadeas who works as a professor at St.Clair College and has a daughter in her early 20s. "The American election really highlighted for us some things that we thought we had gone past."
Trump openly used derogatory statements to stereotype minorities, used the marital history of his opponent to attack her credibility, and was featured in a recording where he bragged about groping women. Trump also used Twitter to attack a former Miss Universe candidate and the appearance of opponent Ted Cruz's wife.
Papadeas says it didn't sit well with those who believe in gender equality.
"We are here. We will not be silent. We will stand up for our rights, and we will continue to fight for them," she says.
Trump's Vice-President-elect, Mike Pence also faces criticism for legislation in Indiana, where he was governor, that made funerals for miscarried and aborted foetuses mandatory.
Papadeas says aside from the march in Washington D.C., there are events are planned in other major U.S. cities, across Europe, Australia and Canada. Ten marches are confirmed Canadian cities and four more are in the works, including an event in Windsor.
Papadeas says there aren't many seats left on her bus, but www.canadianwomenmarch.ca is organizing another bus from Windsor. Anyone interested in going has until January 15 to sign up. The bus leaves at 7pm January 20 and is expected to arrive in Washington early January 21.