This Year’s March for Life May Have Been The Most Powerful Yet

The 2021 March for Life may have looked a little different, but that did not change the fact that pro-life individuals worldwide participated virtually and in prayer. In some ways, this year’s March may have been one of the most powerful events yet. 

In January, the March for Life announced that it would be held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and tightened security in the Capitol. The March for Life’s decision to go virtual this year shows what it truly means to be pro-life. Being pro-life means protecting the unborn child in the womb as well as the mother, the father, the family and society at large. It means protecting all the vulnerable among us, including – but not limited to – the unborn. 

As our country continues to deal with the pandemic and violence that rocked our nation’s Capitol, keeping the majority of the movement safe at home was a pro-life decision. According to a statement on the March for Life website,

“In light of the fact that we are in the midst of a pandemic which may be peaking, and in view of the heightened pressures that law enforcement officers and others are currently facing in and around the Capitol, this year’s March for Life will look different.

The annual rally will take place virtually and we are asking all participants to stay home and to join the March virtually. We will invite a small group of pro-life leaders from across the country to march in Washington, D.C. this year. These leaders will represent pro-life Americans everywhere who, each in their own unique ways, work to make abortion unthinkable and build a culture where every human life is valued and protected.”

The National Institute of Family and Life Advocate’s president, Thomas Glessner, was part of a small group of leaders invited to participate in person in Washington, D.C. this year. 

“NIFLA was honored to have been chosen as part of a select group of pro-life leaders to be present at the Capitol during the 2021 March for Life. This year, NIFLA’s leadership represented pro-life pregnancy centers nationwide and all Americans who work to build a culture where every human life, born and unborn, is valued and protected. Our fervent prayer is that progress will continue toward our national mission of creating a culture of life. To this end, NIFLA will continue to uphold and protect the work of America’s pregnancy centers on the front lines of the fight for life.” 

—NIFLA President Thomas Glessner

Speakers at this year’s event included professional athlete and commentator Tim Tebow. The former NFL quarterback and current New York Mets minor league outfielder shared the incredible story of how his mother refused to abort her son in the womb. “I’m so grateful my mom gave me a chance at life,” he stated.

He encouraged those listening to continue their mission of rescuing and loving people with passion. March for Life participants also heard from retired NFL player Benjamin Watson and his wife Kirsten Watson, parents of 7, who have been working diligently to bring the pro-life message to the masses through speaking engagements, books, and pro-life films.

The March for Life has remained a steady witness to the pro-life movement and the people who represent it. Those who attend it are varied in their ages, religious beliefs, and walks of life – but come together to bear witness to the sacred value of human life.

Through the years, the March has experienced many historic milestones. 

• According to the March for Life website, the first March for Life occurred in 1974, a year after Roe v. Wade became the law of the land. The March has continued each year since then. 
• Washington, D.C. faced a blizzard In January of 1987. Yet, 10,000 plus pro-life marchers still came to the March to have their voices heard. 
• In January of 2017, former Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the March for Life. 
• The most recent March For Life took place with the historic speech by former President Donald Trump, the first US President to do so, in 2020. 

This year’s March for Life was historic and unprecedented in its own way. Imagine the power of millions of pro-life voices coming together virtually to witness and pray for the unborn. Imagine what a blessing it was to the homebound, immune-compromised, elderly, stay-at-home parents or people with young children who would have been unable to attend in person. This year, they were able to do so from the comfort of their own homes. In fact, the witness of the majority of the pro-life movement protecting human life by staying home rather than going to Washington, D.C., was a powerful testament to our commitment to preserving human life at all stages.

This year, the March for Life offered a brilliant opportunity to witness the sanctity of human life from the safety of our homes while we pray for an end to abortion. By continuing to join our hearts and minds in unity, regardless of where we may be in body, we will achieve an end to abortion. We will press forward in our efforts to build a culture in which all human life, regardless of age, gender or race, is cherished and protected. To learn more about how you can partner with NIFLA in protecting and equipping pregnancy centers on the front lines of the fight for life, please visit our donation page.

This original article was written by Olivia Aveni Briscoe, a pro-life journalist and media professional. Please contact the NIFLA media team at [email protected] for interview requests and reprint permission.