Overcast and cooler weather could not keep roughly 800 protesters home today as they marched from Jenny Lincoln Park to Park Central Square in downtown Springfield. This March for Science was one of many satellite marches happening today, with the home march being in Washington, D.C. The goal of the march was to bring awareness to the importance of science and the roles it plays in people’s lives.
The event, which was organized by Eric Wells and Sarah Bargo, started off with the march and ended up downtown as a rally with a lineup of speakers. Such speakers included Dr. Pamela Gay, who is the director of technology and citizen science at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and Crystal Quade, who is a Missouri House representative for District 132.
“I never thought I was going to be one of the people to organize this [march] but things have gotten to the point that silence is not an option anymore,” Wells said to those at the rally.
As he finished his speech, Wells pointed to different boards that people could sign. The boards were going to be sent to elected officials Rep. Billy Long, Sen. Clair McCaskill, Sen. Roy Blunt and Mayor Ken McClure.