On a chilly but beautiful January day in Washington, D.C., thousands gathered on the National Mall for the 53rd National March for Life. Participants came from across the United States and beyond — families from coast to coast, international groups from Korea and Ireland, students, children, grandparents, clergy, and activists — united under the event’s simple theme: “Life is a Gift.” Winter’s crisp air contrasted with the crowd’s warmth, hope, and resolve.

The event began with an hour of worship music, followed by powerful speeches linking faith, the sanctity of life from conception, and America’s founding principles to defending the vulnerable. Signs proclaimed, “Choose Love, Choose Life,” “Christ is Lord,” and support for figures like the late Charlie Kirk, who frequently advocated for faith and family. A particularly moving highlight was the Friends of Club 21 Choir — young adults with Down syndrome and supporters — singing the National Anthem with passion, further embodying the message that every life holds inherent value, dignity, and beauty.

A video message from President Donald Trump highlighted the administration’s efforts to advance pro-life policies, while Vice President J.D. Vance addressed the crowd in person, affirming the movement’s “ally in the White House” and urging continued progress in the post-Dobbs era. The stage also welcomed numerous members of Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), alongside Reps. Andy Harris (R-Md.), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), French Hill (R-Ark.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), and others who spoke or showed support.

Amid the sea of people, stories emerged of determination and joy: parents who organized a bus for eager Wisconsin students attending their first March, families marching together across generations, and attendees from diverse walks of life who traveled far to stand in solidarity. The Washington Stand was able to speak with some participants, each of whom shared experiences that captured the heart of the gathering.

Gwyn Andrews, Senate Aide for Senator Randy Robertson (R-Ga.), shared her personal turning point. “I grew up as a pastor’s daughter,” she told TWS. “I would have always told you I was pro-life, but I really didn’t care.” At 19, facing an unexpected pregnancy, she scheduled a chemical abortion at Planned Parenthood. Three days before, a girl explained the beauty of life from conception and that she would always be a mother. Ultimately, Gwyn chose life; her daughter was adopted by a Christian couple. “The best way to make change,” she said, “is to have one conversation at a time.” Abortion begins as a cultural issue, she added, so “we have to change culture.”

Noelle, who also spoke with TWS, echoed this. She emphasized the importance of starting these conversations in the home. “The idea that a mother can destroy her own child is heartbreaking,” she said, “and we need to start with education and in the home — teaching children and families that life begins at conception, that life is sacred and valuable and beautiful, and that God can turn even terrible situations for good.”

“I love attending the march,” Noelle added. “I’ve been a supporter for a long time, and I’ve been lucky to be able to come back multiple times. And I know that if we keep putting God at the center of our lives,” immense progress can be made. “My message for you at home is to get involved. … Every year, every day is an opportunity” to do something.

Rep. Andrew Clyde, in comments to TWS, rooted his commitment in America’s founding document. “If you look at the birth certificate of our nation, the Declaration of Independence ... all men are created equal and they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. And the first that is mentioned is life.” He stressed government’s duty to secure and defend life, noting how the Dobbs decision was a major reversal of federal overreach. “Finally, government is here under the Trump administration defending life. And that’s what we’re supposed to be doing.”

Clyde highlighted ongoing challenges, particularly the shipment of mifepristone abortion pills across state lines. “One of the bigger challenges is the fact that mifepristone is being shipped across our country through the post office, and it’s illegal to do that in the state of Georgia,” he said. He referenced his D.C. Shield Law Repeal Act, introduced in December with growing co-sponsors, aimed at dismantling D.C.’s protections for such shipments. “If we can do that, then we can put these people who are sending poison into our states... in jail.”

Rep. Michael Cloud similarly affirmed government’s primary role in protecting God-given rights, starting with life. “Our job in government is to protect ... those inalienable rights that we understand are a gift from God. They’re not a grant from government,” he shared. “You can’t have liberty without life. You can’t pursue happiness without life.” He celebrated post-Roe progress but warned of persistent threats like abortion pills, which harm both babies and mothers. Cloud called for restoring a culture where “babies are a blessing” and healthy families remain society’s foundation.

Drawing from Scripture, he urged perseverance: “Don’t get weary in well-doing ... Evil is never going to rest. And so, our job is to be the watchmen on the wall, so to speak, and to stand for life.” He praised the crowd’s diversity and resolve: “A lot of people out here not fainting, still staying in the fight. And that’s great ... from all generations, all backgrounds, all races.”

Pro-life advocate Ryan Bomberger, founder of the Radiance Foundation, brought a powerful personal testimony rooted in his own life story. “I’m here with my sons, and I want them to understand that it’s okay to be pro-life,” he told TWS. “We live in a culture that tries to ... shame guys into silence about the evil injustice of abortion.” Bomberger, conceived in rape yet adopted and loved into a large family of 15 siblings (10 adopted), fights for the marginalized because “that was once me.” As a father of four — including two adopted children — and husband to a wife who chose life as a single mom (a daughter, named Radiance, whom he adopted), he sees countless reasons to press on.

“It is a fight for everybody,” he urged. He encouraged practical involvement: “Join your local pregnancy center ... Volunteer for them. Support them ... Get your church into the fight.” Bomberger expressed optimism for 2026 and beyond: “I’m full of hope. Why? Because Jesus is our hope ... Without Jesus as that center, as our foundation, it’s going to be really hard to have the victories.” Even one life saved is a massive win, he added, but the goal is society-wide change through faith-centered action.

In the end, the March for Life revealed something profound: as Congressman Cloud had noted, this movement draws remarkable diversity. Young and old, people from every region and many nations, spanning various religious traditions and even political affiliations, are coming together not out of uniformity but out of a shared conviction. This love for life — its gift, its sanctity, its potential — binds those who fight for it.

And across every conversation, one truth echoed clearly: while much has been achieved, especially since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the work is far from finished. The call remains urgent, joyful, and enduring.