Watch CBS News

Movement Of Women's March Alive In South Florida

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – South Florida Women Rise Up held its first meeting Monday night.

It's an organization borne out of the Women's March last month in Washington, D.C.

Shelly Tygielski attended the March and is one of the founders of South Florida Women Rise Up.

"We said, "What do we do now? How do we make sure that we don't leave the energy of the March at the March?' And we actually bring it back to our communities," she said.

Monday's meeting outside the Riverside Market South in Fort Lauderdale was the first step in that journey.

Organizers gathered volunteers and had people sign up to support issues backed by the Women's March movement like LGBT rights, civil rights, reproductive rights and ending violence.

"We want to be able give them a civics education about how the local and state issues actually affect what's happening nationally and then bring it back home so we can effectuate change," Tygielski said.

Attendees came from all over Broward and some said they had never gotten involved politically before until now.

"I'm unhappy with the way that things are going and the decisions that are being made and I just wanted to do my part and not just sit back and complain and do what I can do," said Janna Ferrisi.

It was a movement begun in Washington as hundreds of thousands of people descended on the nation's capital the day after President Trump was inaugurated.

Tygielski says this isn't a partisan effort but an effort to fight polarization, apathy and give people a voice.

"We want to be able to basically give them the tools and the information in one consolidated platform to say, 'Oh you want to do something about it? Here's your opportunity. Here's the best way to do it,'" she said.

The group plans to meet the first Monday of every month. They said if you want to keep tabs on what's happening politically, go to Facebook and like their page.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.