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Las Vegas women’s rally to kick off voter registration effort

This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of the Women’s March, which drew more than 2 million participants around the world.

While scores of people throughout the U.S. march on Saturday, Las Vegas will host a rally on Sunday — the official anniversary of the march — to kick off a nationwide voter registration tour dubbed #PowerToThePolls.

The event will open its doors at 10 a.m. at Sam Boyd Stadium in east Las Vegas.

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“Now women understand that there’s no magic that’s going to happen in the absence of becoming involved and in a democracy,” said Elaine Wynn, honorary chairwoman of the Las Vegas Women’s March. “Things change peacefully, and the only way they can change peacefully is at the polls and voting for people that can represent us in a way that can enact policy that many people are interested in.”

The mobilization will be the first stop in a multistate tour targeting swing states to register new voters, engage communities and harness the collective energy to advocate for policies, as well as elect more women and progressive candidates in the upcoming midterm elections, organizers said.

In light of the focus on the Oct. 1 mass shooting, Las Vegas has a unique opportunity to give a voice to women and women of color in policy decisions, Wynn said.

“I’m very proud that Nevada is going to be showcased, that it will give people across the country another chance to see that Vegas is strong, and that we want only strong in reaction to a terrible tragedy,” she said. “We’re prepared to move forward in this next generation to become models for what we hope will happen for the rest of the country.”

The rally also will focus on a variety of women’s issues, in light of the recent #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault, equal pay for women, as well as the rights of minority women and the defense of the DACA Program, Wynn said.

“We’re doing fairly well for Nevada women in office,” she said. “The top three cities in Nevada have female mayors.”

Since last year’s march, Wynn said, many women have come forward to run for office for the first time, in response to what was happening in their state.

Participating organizations in Sunday’s event include ACLU-Nevada, Chispa Nevada, Culinary Union Local 226, Planned Parenthood, Sex Workers Outreach Project, UNLV Native American Alumni and Silver State Voices.

Christine Caria, president of the local Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and a survivor of the Route 91 Harvest shooting, will speak at Sunday’s event.

She said she hopes to bridge the fight for women’s rights and gun control, as well as voice the need to vote for representatives who fight to support victims of mass shootings.

“My message is for both, because women are 11 times more likely to die from gun violence because of domestic violence,” she said. “Nevadans are going to vote with these things in mind because it happened in our backyard.”

Among the other speakers on Sunday are Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America; U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; U.S. Rep. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.; U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev.; Melissa Harris-Perry, professor and political commentator; U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.); and Alicia Garza, co-founder of Black Lives Matter and special projects director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

Wynn said the rally’s main goal is to encourage voter registration, with an emphasis on women and groups that will engage in efforts to represent women and policies that directly affect them.

“How many times have we watched on television a meeting adjourn and there’s an outpouring of all men, and maybe one woman?” she asked. “We want to be in the room where it happens.”

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @brianarerick on Twitter.

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