Whether they walked for women’s rights, in protest of President Donald Trump or in support of unity, tri-town residents who took part in Saturday’s Women’s March said they wanted to see the country move forward.

“I think the administration as a whole needs to see that we can’t go backwards. We have to keep going forward with women’s rights, with human rights,” said Kate Cassidy of Rochester.

Many people from the tri-town made the journey to the Washington D.C. march where more than 500,000 people converged. Others journeyed to a sister march in Boston.

Sandy Hering and Don Bamberger of Mattapoisett went to the D.C. march with their two adult daughters and their four-month-old granddaughter. All wore pussyhats, knit by Hering the week before the march. The pink hats with ears, which were ubiquitous at marches across the country, were inspired by a lewd comment Trump made in 2005.

Hering said she’d been “in a funk” since the election and was disturbed by the “underlying sexism” that surfaced.

“It seemed like my vote didn’t matter in this election. It occurred to me that the expression in the ‘70s was ‘We’ve come a long way, baby.’ We really haven’t,” she said.

Bamberger, who said he participated in anti-war protests when he was younger, was proud to wear the pussyhat and march with his family.

“These are issues that face us as adults, but it also affects our kids and grandkids even more,” he said.

Pat Donoghue of Mattapoisett also remembers protesting in the ‘70s. She traveled to D.C. with her sister and niece, Jeannine Donoghue and Emily Wilson of Marion, as well as other young female family members.

“I wanted these kids to know that their voice matters. It means something,” said Pat Donoghue.

Her sister echoed that sentiment.

“We wanted our daughters to have an outlet to express their emotion over the situation,” said Jeannine Donoghue.

Wilson, a freshman at Old Rochester Regional High School, said she wanted to stand up for marginalized groups.

“My biggest reason was getting to be around people who valued human rights as much as we did…to show Trump that we’re not going to back down,” she said.

For Kathy Reed of Marion attending the Boston march was a way to become more educated and to figure out how she could be part of positive change.

“I need to learn what it is that brought so many people to elect what we now have and why. I need to get some education and look outside of my community,” she said.

Reed also wanted to march on behalf of her daughter, who had a disability and passed away a few months ago. She was angered by an interview in which Trump seemed to be mocking a disabled reporter, something the President denies. Joining with others who felt similarly angered and worried about the environment, women’s rights, and more, was a way to step forward for Reed.

“I’m looking for areas to be proactive, supportive, however I can for the rights of all of these people,” she said.

Kate Cassidy is also mulling how she will move ahead with what she heard at the march.

The mother of two young boys, she the march wasn’t anti-men, anti- Republican or a group of “whining women.” It was a call to action, especially for herself.

“For years I’ve been sitting back, reading about politics, not doing anything. But if you don’t pay attention, if you don’t hold [politicians] accountable, they’re doing to do whatever they want,” said Cassidy.

Pat Donoghue had a similar comment.

“We have to take on some of the blame ourselves. We haven’t been strong enough and been out there. We have to participate. We can’t just let the political parties do everything.”

Cassidy said she plans to write to her senators about blocking the appointment of the secretary of education, and she wants politicians to know that people are watching.

“We’re out here, we’re watching you, we’re a loud voice now.”