Why Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Are Joining the Women’s March on Washington: We ‘Will Not Be Silenced’

Char Adams
Updated

Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are joining the tens of thousands of women set to march down the streets of Washington D.C. the day after Donald Trump‘s inauguration.

Katy Perry, Zendaya, Orange is the New Black‘s Uzo Aduba, Scarlett Johansson and more have joined the long list of women expected to participate in the march to “take a stand on social justice.”

“I am marching on Washington to let our next president know that we, men and women alike, will not stand down or be silenced and will fight to protect our bodies and our choices,” Johansson said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE from march organizers.

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The march will take place Saturday, Jan. 21 — the morning after Inauguration Day — beginning at 10 a.m. Participants are expected to march down the intersection of Independence Avenue and 3rd Street.

“The Women’s March on Washington aims to send a message to all levels of government and the incoming Presidential administration, that we stand together in solidarity and expect elected leaders to act to protect the rights of women, their families and their communities,” officials said in the statement.

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The Artist Table: A “Diverse Group of Celebrities”

Organizations including Amnesty International, EMILY’s List, GLAAD, Girls Who Code, Muslim Women’s Alliance, Planned Parenthood, United We Dream and more have partnered with the march’s national coordinating committee for the event.

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

America Ferrera has taken on a leadership role in the event, serving as chairwoman of the Artist Table, “a diverse group of celebrities who will participate in and join in solidarity” with the march, event spokeswoman Alexandra Barnett tells PEOPLE.

“As artists, women, and most importantly dedicated Americans, it is critical that we stand together in solidarity for the protection, dignity and rights of our communities,” Ferrera said in the statement.

“Immigrant rights, worker rights, reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, racial justice and environmental rights are not special interests, they affect us all and should be every American’s concern.”

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

“Solidarity Marches” Across the Country

Along with Perry, Aduba, Johansson and Zendaya, celebrities including Amy Schumer, Constance Wu, Patricia Arquette, Danai Gurira, Padma Lakshmi, OITNB stars Lea DeLaria, Diane Guerrero and more are slated to attend the Washington event. However, other stars will attend one of the more than 150 “solidarity marches” across the country on that day.

RELATED VIDEO: Watch: Natasha Stoynoff Breaks Silence, Accuses Donald Trump of Sexual Assault


Chelsea Handler will helm a march down Main Street in Park City, Utah, according to the statement from march organizers. The march takes place during the Sundance Film Festival.

“By hosting a sister march in Park City, our Women’s March on Main will help send a message to the incoming administration that attacks on Planned Parenthood and our fundamental human rights are unacceptable and if we have to re-fight for rights we have already fought for and won, we will do it louder and stronger, with men by our side,” Handler said in the statement.

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Groups from nearly 50 states have started their own, local Facebook pages for the event, with each state organizing transportation to get to the event.

Among the stars will be legendary feminist activist Gloria Steinem and iconic social activist and singer Harry Belafonte. The duo will serve as honorary co-chairs of the march.

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

March officials have described the event as an “inclusive, women-led grassroots movement,” according to the statement.

Organizers said the event will “bring people of all genders and backgrounds together to take a stand on social justice and intersectional human rights issues ranging from race, ethnicity, gender, religion, our environment, climate change, immigration and health care.”