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The 2023 Kalamazoo Women's March hopes to build on Proposal 3's momentum

Shardae Chambers poses on a stool with her right leg crossed over her left. Her hands rest on her right knee.
Courtesy photo
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Shardae Chambers
Shardae Chambers is one of the organizers of the Kalamazoo Women's March.

Co-organizer Shardae Chambers said Kalamazoo activists will campaign in Ohio in support of a similar measure there.

The 2023 Kalamazoo Women’s March is scheduled to take place this Sunday. Shardae Chambers, who is helping to organize the event, said it aims to continue last year’s movement to expand reproductive rights in Michigan, which culminated in the November 2022 passage of Proposal 3.

Chambers said Michigan lawmakers are now considering legislation to end the 24-hour waiting period and other restrictions on abortion.

“The fight is still not over. We still have, our state legislators are still voting on the rest of that bill," she said.

“Even though we don’t have any big elections, we also just need to remember that the fight is still on," Chambers added.

Some of the organizers plan to drive to Ohio next week, to campaign for an abortion-rights proposal on that state’s November ballot.

The march is set for Sunday from noon to 2:30 p.m. at Bronson Park in downtown Kalamazoo. Alongside the focus on reproductive rights, speakers, including faith leaders, will also talk about how gun violence, date rape and drug and alcohol addiction affect women.