What the women's resistance sounds like 8 years later

The day after President Trump's second inauguration, the streets of Denver are mostly quiet. No pink pussy hats. No protest signs. No marching.

Why it matters: It's a far cry from eight years ago when anger about the Trump presidency galvanized women and led 100,000 people into the Denver streets, where they waved signs and shouted opposition to his first term.

State of play: The women's movement in Colorado is not dead and it did not fail, organizers and advocates tell us, but it has evolved substantially.

What they're saying: The shift in mood is significant. Some are disillusioned. Some are taking a wait-and-see approach. Some are staying involved, just closer to home.

• "It does feel different," says Lisa Cutter, one of the organizers of the march.

Between the lines: Cutter epitomizes the power of the first movement. She moved from the sidelines to become a march organizer and now is a state senator.

• In Facebook groups and other social media settings, which largely gave birth to the first movement, Cutter is hearing different chatter compared to eight years ago. Questions about whether marches are worth the effort and whether sustained social movements can create real change.
• "It feels like people were maybe hopeful that it wouldn't come to this and now they are sort of sitting with the reality for a bit," she says. "I know I kind of felt that way, sort of stunned and thinking, 'What do we do now?'"

The intrigue: Elsewhere, Cutter sees hope, and lasting impacts from the 2017 protests, the largest social movement in a half-century.

• 25 people attended a recent meeting she held for constituents at Muddy Buck Cafe in her Jefferson County district, and all wanted to know how to get involved.
• "Yes, marches have value … but I think people are turning more toward let's dig in and make a more tangible impact," she says.

The other side: The lead organizing group behind the Women's March on Colorado, dissolved last June because of a lack of donations to keep the volunteer effort operating. Megan Fine, an organizer, says there was "a slowdown in momentum."

• "There's so much going on, sometimes women and women's issues fall to the side," she explains.

Yes, but: She sees a tactical shift toward local organizing. She plans to get involved at the school district level through her child's school. There, she says, "You can actually make a difference."

What's next: Tish Beauford, another co-founder of the march, disputes the results of the 2024 election, saying it was stolen from Democrats because of "nefarious" Republican tactics, an unproven assertion.

The local community radio show host and activist is pledging to maintain her fight against Trump by using her platform, and she expects other women to get active again once they see what's at stake.

• "I don't think we failed because we are going to resist this presidency every day, every step of the way," she says. "So he's not going to have it easy."