More than 130 students from Hillsdale College braved snow storms to reach Washington, D.C., for the March for Life Jan. 19. 

“It was incredible to realize how many people came even though the weather was bad,” sophomore Anna Heldt said. “When we turned toward the Capitol Building you could look ahead and behind and see all the people there to support life.”

Students from Hillsdale College’s many religious organizations attended the march, including members of Catholic Society, Lutheran Society, and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. 

Members of the Hillsdale Orthodox Christian Fellowship broke off from the Hillsdale group and marched with Orthodox Christians for Life.

“To be Orthodox and to be pro-life ought to be, and is at the general level, synonymous,” junior Anna Jackson said. “We believe that all mankind is made in God’s image and the destruction of that image – to kill a human being – is a great tragedy and is destructive to both the killer and the victim.” 

The theme for the 51st March for Life was “With every woman; for every child.” A number of speakers at the rally addressed this theme in their remarks. 

The pro-life movement should be optimistic about its ability to convince people that every unborn child has a value too precious to ignore, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-LA said in his address.

Johnson shared his personal story for promoting life. 

“I am, myself, a product of an unplanned pregnancy. In January of 1972, exactly one year before Roe v. Wade, my parents who were just teenagers at the time chose life,” he said. “I am very profoundly grateful that they did.” 

Jim Harbaugh, the head football coach for the University of Michigan, made a surprise appearance to introduce keynote speaker and former NFL player Benjamin Watson. 

“It’s a great example you’re setting,” Harbaugh said. “It’s testimony for the sanctity of life.”

Jean-Marie Davis, executive director of Branches Resource Center in Vermont, told her story of surviving human trafficking and choosing life for her son Jonah thanks to the help of a pregnancy resource center.

“My son saved my life,” Davis said.“The pregnancy center saved my life.”

Author Aisha Taylor told those at the March about the pressure she felt from the father to get an abortion when she became pregnant with twins in a crisis situation.

“I picked up the phone to call an abortion provider,” Taylor said. “But God, they did not answer the phone. Do you know who did answer the phone when I needed them? My local pregnancy center.”

The rally lasted for close to an hour, and a march along the National Mall followed. Along with Hillsdale College for Life, a number of other pro-life student groups attended. Students from Liberty University were in attendance, and a Pennsylvania State University student, Domenick Tolentino, spoke at the rally. 

Christian organizations of many denominations attended and showed their support for the cause. Other attendees held signs saying “atheists for life” to show the diversity of the pro-life movement.

Johnson reiterated the goal of the march in his remarks. 

“This is a pivotal time to promote quality healthcare for both women and their unborn children,” he said.