Signs laid on the grass as excited activists began setup for the march. A loud scream rang out: "Look!" Above us, on a cloudless day, was a rainbow. If this were merely irony, it showed its face at the most poignant time.
The National Equality March in Washington, D.C., brought together hundreds of thousands of LGBT activists Oct. 11 to demand equality now, and brought many younger people to the front of the equality battle.
The group I went with, Join the Impact Chicago, had four buses with 220 people leaving Chicago Oct. 10. As we got situated on the bus, getting ready for a 14-hour drive, we couldn't help but be giddy. For some, it was their first march; for others this was second nature. But it was a big moment for all.
As people marched onto the bus carrying their pillows, snacks and iPods, a feeling of excitement started to take hold. We were going to march at the nation's capitaland it was exhilarating.
Unfortunately, bad news struck within the first few hours. Bus #1, which held most of the protest signs and many of the main organizers for the conference, had broken down in Ohio.
With a shaky voice, our bus leader gave the news. We were now down a quarter of our group. This would not quiet us, though; it would only make us louder as we marched to Obama's doorstep.
As dusk set in, most riders got ready for sleep. Cuddling seems to be a common theme with the gays: Most bus buddies snuggled up and slept as to be ready for the grueling march the next day.
The next morning we groggily awoke, but within a few moments we realized that where we were: the capital of our nation. In just a few hours, we would be multiplied into the hundreds of thousands, walking as one.
After a quick breakfast, we started to walk towards the starting point. At first it was just us, but more and more people joined us until we flowed together like a river.
We began slowly, picking up speed as we went along the route. Bystanders screamed their support, and chants rang out through the crowd.
This being my first march, I was constantly in awe over how united people were. While our ethnicities, localities, ages and many other factors could divide us, for that one day we marched as one group with one mission: equality now. In the middle of the chaos, I took a moment and thought: if this were the only thing I had to show for myself, I would be okay with that.
Once everything was over, we slowly piled back onto the buses. Our throats were sore and our bodies hurt. It was so worth it.