Speech at the Women's March On Washington – Jan. 21, 2017

Alsalam ealaykum. May peace be upon you, brothers and sisters.

My name is Linda Sarsour, and I am one of the national co-chairs for the Women's March on Washington. I stand here before you, unapologetically Muslim American [cheers], unapologetically Palestinian American [cheers]; unapologetically from Brooklyn New York. [cheers]

Sisters and brothers, you are what democracy looks like. Sisters and brothers, you are my hope for my community.

I will respect the presidency but I will not respect this president of the United States of America. [cheers] I will not respect an administration that won an election on the backs of Muslims and black people and undocumented people and Mexicans and people with disabilities and on the backs of women. [cheers]

Many of our communities – including my community, the Muslim community – has been suffering in silence for the past 15 years under the Bush administration and under the Obama administration. The very things that you are outraged by during this election season – the Muslim registry program, the banning of the Muslims, the dehumanization of the community that I come from that – has been our reality for the past 15 years.

Sisters and brothers, if you have come here today as your first time at a march, I welcome you. I ask you to stand and continue to keep your voices loud for black women, for Native women, for documented women, for LGBTQIA communities, for people with disabilities.

You can count on me, your Palestinian Muslim sister, to keep her voice loud, keep her feet on the streets, keep my head held high because I am not afraid. [cheers]

Sisters and brothers, fear is a choice. We are the majority. We are the conscience of these United States of America. We are this nation's moral compass. If you want to know if you are going the right way, follow women of color, sisters and brothers. We know where we need to go and we know where justice is because when we fight for justice we fight for it for all people, all our communities. [cheers]

I want to remind you that the reason why you are here today is because mothers and yoga teachers and organizers and bakers came out to organize. Ordinary people made this happen. No corporate dollars, no money from corporations. This is your dollars. This is your work. This is you made this happen.

I am honored to stand here today on the stage as a national culture with Tamika and Carmen who are my sisters but also with my family because I organize for my mother. I march for my daughters and all my children. But most of all I am my Palestinian grandmother who lived in occupied territories wildest dreams sisters and brothers, and I'm so proud to be here with all of you justice for all you.

Justice for all. [cheers]

#WomensMarch, #PowerToThePolls