EMU community joins Mennonite Action march to D.C.

A group of Mennonites and interfaith allies—many of them students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other members of the EMU community—marched more than 135 miles from Harrisonburg, Virginia, to Washington, D.C., on foot last month calling on lawmakers to support a cease-fire in Gaza.

The “All God’s Children March for a Ceasefire,” organized by Mennonite Action, included participants ranging in age from 11 to 74 years old. Marchers left from Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg on July 18, walking about 13 miles each day on their journey before arriving at the White House on July 28. Between 35 and 125 marchers took part in the action each day, with some devoting a day and others completing the entire route.

Watch a video shot and edited by EMU student Micaiah Landis,
offering a behind-the-scenes look at the march.

Together, the group braved the heat, humidity and rain, climbed into the Blue Ridge Mountains and through the Shenandoah National Park, and walked down quiet country roads, along busy highways and through suburban neighborhoods and parking lots. They slept in churches and camped in open fields. They listened and watched as passing drivers honked and waved in support of their cause. They marched while singing hymns and held evening worship services along the way.

You can read daily dispatches from the group’s journey
on the Mennonite Action website here.

When they arrived in D.C. the marchers joined an interfaith coalition protesting the annual conference of Christians United for Israel (CUFI). On July 30, members of the group protested inside the halls of the Hart Senate Office Building. Capitol Police made 47 arrests in the peaceful protest.

The march and arrests received a flurry of national media coverage. Outlets including Sojourners, Religion News Service, Anabaptist World, and WHSV highlighted Mennonite Action and its cause.

We spoke with EMU senior and nursing major Jenna Weaver, sophomore and computer engineering major Renae Benner, and Tyler Goss, director for student engagement and leadership development, about their experiences.

How did you participate in the march and D.C. actions?
Weaver: I walked the first nine days of the march, almost making it to D.C. I also was a medic for the march, which mainly involved tending to people’s blisters, helping remove hundreds of ticks, calling the paramedics when needed, and watching out for dehydrated folks as we walked during several very hot days!
Benner: I participated in the entire march from Harrisonburg to Washington, D.C. On July 28, I joined the service of lament held outside the White House. The next day, I joined an interfaith chorus that sang songs calling for peace at the conference center hosting the CUFI summit. On July 30, I joined another rally with speakers and singing and helped on the jail support team for those arrested for peacefully protesting.
Goss: I was fortunate enough to attend the whole march and time in D.C. So, any of the good trouble Mennonite Action was up to over those days, I was there. Specifically, I helped to coordinate the programming during the march. From daily devotional-style gatherings, to yoga, to game nights, and evening prayer, I was the one tapping shoulders and connecting people’s gifts with the various programming leadership.

What were the most memorable or impactful experiences from your participation?
Benner: The day we marched into D.C. was full of energy. Lots of people joined us in the morning and more joined in as we walked. As we neared the bridge to cross the Potomac River, I was overwhelmed by the significance of what we were doing. It felt like such a powerful political action to enter the city by foot, in a line of over a hundred people, carrying the banners we had carried across Virginia. The entire two weeks felt this way: I knew I was experiencing something remarkable, and all I could do was try to take it in.

What drew you to get involved? Why is it important to participate in actions like these?
Weaver: I barely knew of the ongoing violence in Palestine until my intercultural to Israel-Palestine last summer, led by Tim and Chris Seidel. I learned so much history of native people being removed from their homes, and created relationships with people that I am still in contact with. When the Hamas attacks occurred in October, and then the extreme violence by Israel, it stirred so much anger and sadness in me. I was a part of various local protests, D.C. protests, and was a part of the bell-ringing action on EMU’s campus. When the idea of the march came up, I knew I would do it. As a Mennonite, we believe in nonviolence. How could I not stand up for tens of thousands of beautiful humans being killed when my faith calls me to do so?

How has this changed your perspective, or how has participating in this impacted you?
Goss: I have always known our EMU students are incredible, but, wow, I wish everyone could have seen the brilliant ways all of the EMU students involved in the march and D.C. actions led with such courage and compassion. The meal organizers, the videographers, the de-escalators, the phone callers, the police liaisons, the medics, the song leaders, the protesters…our students took the lead in every role of the action.

What do you feel the result of your actions and involvement were?
Benner: Hundreds, and sometimes maybe thousands of cars, drove past us each day as we marched. Lots of people took videos. I don’t know exactly what people were thinking as they saw us walking. However, I was inspired by how many positive, or at least curious, responses we received. I think we gave some people hope, because we are continuing to care about Gaza and speak out against violence. Maybe we inspired some people to also raise their voices in protest. I hope our demonstration caused a few people to learn more about what’s going on in Palestine, or even to question their preconceptions for a moment.

Is there anything else you feel that would be important to share about?
Weaver: Just overall gratitude for the organizers of Mennonite Action who worked so hard to make the march happen, as well as donors and Mennonites across the U.S. and other countries who prayed for and supported us.

For more photos from the march and protests, visit the Mennonite Action Instagram page.