Vendors seize business opportunities at March for Our Lives

WASHINGTON — Amid a crowd of hundreds of thousands of marchers, several merchants set up shop along Pennsylvania Avenue and the surrounding area in Washington D.C. to sell souvenirs at the March for Our Lives.

The event was inspired by the fatal shooting of 17 students and staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

While protesting the easy availability of guns, many marchers stopped to purchase products with slogans like “Dump Trump,” “Enough is Enough” and “We call BS.”

Brooklyn-based designers Nick and Libby Farrow traveled to Washington to sell their one-of-a-kind graphic T-shirts, buttons, stickers and hats, ranging in price from $5 to $20 dollars.

“We’re very political — we do a lot of rallies,” Libby Farrow said. “We even went across the country with Bernie [Sanders],” she said.

The Farrows said they travel widely, spreading liberal political messages via artistic apparel. Their business cards feature a not-so-subtle dig at President Donald Trump: “Someone less dumb for President.”

Washington resident Cedric Baker sold his shirts just a few blocks away from the Farrows. He also sold tees at the Women’s March in 2017. Baker said he donates half of his earnings to the cause of each march at which he sells his work.

Baker said he sells his tees “for the thrill of the deal.”

“We love to be out interacting with the people,” Baker said. “It’s fun, we get to laugh and joke and spend the day outside of the office for the cause.”