Saturday October 25, 1997. Philadelphia, historically the City of Brotherly Love became a sanctuary for the sisters on the dreary Saturday. They moved together to become one. Walking nearly two miles in downtown Philadelphia chanting, singing and praying, over 300,000 females gathered together to promote unity and peace.

Believe it or not, every woman did not attend the march. I was one of those women who got to hear about, read about and even see it on video, but did not travel with my sisters to march.

"WHY NOT??" some of my sisters asked. Well, I supported the March entirely but I feel like enough with the marching, it's time to do something. Everyone can't appreciate that.

  I decided to get some different points of view from a woman who went and a woman who didn't go. Christine Mayes from Harlem, NY, got the chance to enjoy the festivities and when I interviewed her she told me it was an interesting experience and she felt that she had the opportunity to meet different people from different places.

HarlemLive:WHAT IN YOUR OPINION IS THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE UNITY BETWEEN BLACK WOMEN AND BLACK PEOPLE IN GENERAL?

Christine Mayes: [I FEEL THAT BLACK PEOPLE NEED A] BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER AND [THE] THINGS SURROUNDING THEM. OTHER NATIONALITIES CAN STICK TOGETHER.

Tonya Foster comes from the other side of the mountain, whereas she decided not to go to the Million Woman March.

HL:WHY DIDN'T YOU ATTEND THE MARCH?

TF:I TEACH ON SATURDAYS AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME. [ALSO]

I FOUND OUT LATE IN THE WEEK AND I DIDN'T FEEL VERY INSPIRED TO GO. I'M WILLING TO DO THINGS IN MY COMMUNITY AND WALKING AROUND IN PHILADELPHIA AND LISTENING TO WINNIE DIDN'T APPEAL TO ME.

HL: DO YOU WISH YOU HAD WENT?

TF: NO, NOT PARTICULARLY. IT WOULD'VE BEEN GOOD TO SEE A MILLION BLACK WOMEN. THERE'S SOMETHING WONDERFUL ABOUT GROUP DYNAMICS. SOMETHING POSITIVE AND INSPIRING.

HL: SO HOW WOULD YOU PROMOTE UNITY BETWEEN BLACK PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO HAPPEN?

TL: [I THINK IT'S] NECESSARY TO RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT ECONOMY CLASSES HAVE DIFFERENT CONCERNS . IT'S TIME TO STOP PRETENDING WE ALL HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS. DIFFERENT CLASSES DEAL WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF RACISM.

I don't know if it'll take a march to change the circumstances of our lives as minorities. It all starts at home within the families, with each other. The older people have the responsibility (whether they want it or not) to teach our younger people right from wrong. If you can't do that, then what can you do?

As a young person, I myself must look at the criticisms my generation receives and ask myself is that true? I know it's not for all of us. There are some positive young people. But there needs to be more.

A march is a good start but let's keep that ball rolling and continue change here..in our homes and communities. Let's not continue this downward spiral. Change has to begin here.

Signing off with peace and harmony.