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CLEVELAND, Ohio-Cleveland Ward 9 Councilman Kevin Conwell and his Footprints band will provide the ambience for a rally and march for women's rights and Civil Rights on Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at noon at Market Square Park in the Ohio City neighbourhood near downtown Cleveland. Elected officials and women's rights activists will rally and march on this date with greater Cleveland women against an anticipated national abortion ban and for abortion access and women's reproductive rights and other rights across the board.

City officials have approved permits for the gathering and organizers include activists Kathy Wray Coleman, Alysa Cooper Moskey, Siera Mason, Alfred Porter Jr., Elaine Gohlstin, and Cindy Demsey of the Cuyahoga Democratic Women's Caucus.

The event is part of a national day of action in cities across the country promoted by Women's March National and comes some two and a half years after the U.S. Supreme Court's June 24, 2022 historic Dobbs decision that overturned the longstanding Roe v. Wade ruling. The Dobbs decision reversed the court's landmark 1973 ruling that gave federal protections to women for abortion access and reproductive rights nationwide and gave respective state legislatures the authority to legislate abortion.

Conwell and his talented band have participated in the last three women's marches in Cleveland free of charge and he said his band will be "performing this year as a community service."

Councilman Conwell's Ward 9 includes most of Glenville and part of University Circle neighbourhoods of Cleveland.

Cleveland's event and the events nationwide on Jan. 18 are also branded a people's march and welcome men and others fed up with public policies nationally and otherwise that target marginalized groups like women, Black people and innocent immigrants who contribute to the betterment of America.

"We welcome and thank the councilman and his band for standing with women as we continue our fight for abortion access and reproductive and other freedoms for women, Black people and others in Cleveland and Ohio," said Women's March Cleveland head organizer Kathy Wray Coleman, a seasoned Black Cleveland activist and organizer. "As the new year commences people will know that Cleveland plays an important part as to any major issue that has an impact on our predominantly Black major American city. Now is the time to rise up again and fight for our rights."

Cleveland's Jan. 18 event is being organized by Women's March Cleveland and other grassroots area groups. Nearly 1,000 people have shown interest thus far for the event on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/event.

Activists and elected officials who have advocated for reproductive rights for women will speak, including state Sen Nickie Antonio, Minority Leader for the Ohio Senate, and city council members, including council persons Joe Jones of Ward 1 and Ward 4 Councilwoman Deborah Gray. The Cuyahoga Democratic Women's Caucus, Carl Stokes Brigade, Peace Action, Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network, Black Women's Political Action Committee of Ohio, Black on Black Crime Inc., Black Man's Army, and the Black Women's Army are among the supporting groups for the event, in addition to Women's March Cleveland.

"Greater Cleveland activists and our supporters will take to the streets of Cleveland on Jan 18 to continue the fight for reproductive and other rights for Ohio and Cleveland women, including Black women" activist Coleman said. "This is the time to rise again and fight back and sooner or later our extremist enemies will get the message that it is a woman's right, constitutionally or otherwise, to choose what or what not to do with her body."

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most-read Black digital newspaper and Black blog in Ohio and in the Midwest. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL