TYLER KEOHANE | Culture Editor

Hundreds braved the cold in downtown St. Louis Saturday morning to march for gender equality awareness.

What began as a group of strangers gathered in Aloe Plaza across from Union Station, turned into a united front for equal pay and equal rights among all genders.

The event was the third annual women’s march in St. Louis and around the U.S. following the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Participant Patricia Northcutt said she is a veteran of protests and marches.

“I’m here for women’s rights; I’m here for civil rights,” she said. “I’m here for the black community [and] the brown community.”

She also said no one should discriminate against creed or color, and she is “very, very adamant about that.”

Speeches followed the march down Market Street, including one by Robert Dillard, a renowned local singer and poet. He jumped on stage and energized the crowd with one of his poems.

“We are all minorities someway, somehow,” he said. “And the curbing of this vicious tendency won’t happen unless we vow to support, uplift and inspire.

Few counter-protesters showed up. Many St. Louis city police officers were present, but none would comment citing their department policy.

At the end of the march, tents lined up sponsored by different organizations. One group that was present was the ACLU of Missouri.

“We fight to protect the civil liberties of all Missourians and that’s through direct action, legal representation, and we also work with policy and legislators,” Alicia Hernandez, a member of ACLU of Missouri, said.

The women’s march organizers and speakers stressed the importance of action. They called for action every day, in many aspects of life.

Northcutt said, “I call my congressmen…and continue to post on Facebook to try to make people aware of the racism that ‘ugly head’ has raised. I spend a number of hours every day working in some way or another. I call it my part-time job.”

Check out highlights from the march: