On Friday, Jan. 24, a group of Fordham students attended the March For Life in Washington D.C. which advocates for the de-legalization of abortion. The march is an annual event that began in 1973 to commemorate the passing of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States.
Sixteen Fordham students attended the march as part of Fordham’s Respect for Life club, which takes part in the march every year. The club “aims to promote the dignity of life from conception to natural death,” according to their bio on the Campus Ministry website. The group was accompanied by a staff chaperone and met several alumni at the event.
“I have always wanted to attend to see what kind of crowd would attend this kind of gathering,” said Gabriella Chinnici, FCRH ’27, treasurer of Respect for Life. “The group does this trip yearly, and I anticipate they will continue going to the march as it aligns with the club’s values.”
Fordham students took a 5 a.m. bus to D.C. in order to arrive before the 1 p.m. start time. The group began their day with the New York Pilgrim Mass, a mass hosted at St. Patrick’s Church in D.C. before the march, specifically for attendees from New York State.
“From noon until the beginning of the March, there are a multitude of speeches delivered by former abortionist[s], individuals who have survived abortions, and even elected officials,” said Augustine M. Preziosi, interim prefect for Fordham University Church, who attended the march as staff chaperone.
This year’s march hosted a variety of speakers, including Vice President JD Vance and Florida Governor Ron Desantis, as well as other activists.
“We heard both parents and children share their testimony of the pro-life movement. Several of them would not have been there if not for the faith, support, and immense courage that someone in their lives had,” said Elizabeth Rengifo-Vega, FCRH ’26, secretary of Respect for Life. “One speaker shared how a doctor advising against keeping her unborn child with a disability helped her tap into a previously undiscovered well of protectiveness and strength. Her daughter sat beside her on the stage during the rally, and the crowd celebrated the blessing that was both of their lives.”
Tens of thousands of people from all over the country attended the march. The march starts beside the Washington Monument and walks down Constitution Avenue before it ends outside the United States Capitol building.
Fordham’s group played music as they marched for nearly four hours.
“When we played ‘La Guadalupana,’ I saw people’s faces turn, their eyes lighting up in recognition and delight. ‘La Guadalupana!’ one young speaker exclaimed in Spanish to his friend,” said Rengifo-Vega. “It was a reminder of how this march unites people.”
Respect for Life also engages with the local Bronx community throughout the year. The club has nearly 200 members and regularly partners with Campus Ministry.
“I think it is important to note that our group does not just attend this march and then exist as an echo chamber throughout the rest of the year,” said Preziosi. “Members volunteer throughout the city with young and expecting mothers, raise money for impoverished families, and, to be faithful to their Jesuit heritage, organize academic discussions, such as [ones] on the consistent ethic of life. Their care for the vulnerability of all stages of life informs their very being.”
The group also reunited with former community partners at the event.
“We were overjoyed to say hi to the Sisters of Life on our way out [to the march] because two sisters had recently visited Fordham to give a reflection to the club,” said Rengifo-Vega.
The group will begin plans for next year’s march in a few months.
“The group attends every year and hopes to continue to do so as long as the march is hosted in the nation’s capital,” said Preziosi. “which will be until abortive practices and our culture of death no longer exist in the United States.”
