Ebba Hagman, 17, and her brother Axel, 15, from Helsingborg, Sweden, on their second visit to Washington, said they had come for a vacation and to look at colleges and just happened to stumble on the rally.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Amelia Childs, a 21-year-old photography student from Boston, was at first hesitant to have the lens trained on herself. She was taking her own set of rally-goer portraits, explaining, "I'm working on my senior thesis on political activism and the changing face of politics in our culture."
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Jacob Isom of Amarillo, Texas, wearing a badge marked "Talent," got a special invite from the rally organizers. Isom, 23, became a star on YouTube after he was captured on TV news grabbing a Koran out of the hand of someone who planned to burn it at a protest in Amarillo. "This is the first time I've been to D.C.," the pizza chef said.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Friends Elaine Tung, 29, a biochemist, and Laura Witt, 27, who works in fabric research and development for Gap Japan, came down from New York City. The pair, in even-handed fashion, each picked a side.
"I'm here to restore sanity," said Tung; "I'm here to keep fear alive," said Witt.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
"I'm here to support the rally," said Phillip Crosby, 25, an event planner from Tampa, who added that he had also traveled to D.C. to attend President Obama's inauguration.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
"I love Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert," said Tabitha Macharia, 24, a Kenyan who lives and studies in Washington. "I think they have important things to say." She was reluctant at first to be photographed, pointing out that she is not a U.S. citizen. She also had misgivings about delaying her friends, who were hungry and seeking food.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Martin Ciernia, 25, of Greenfield, Mass., works in renewable energy and green building. "This is the place to be today," he said. "And I needed a road trip."
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Kelsey Finn, 21, a journalism student from Indianapolis, said she came to attend the rally with friends. Finn, who writes for a blog called College Fashionista, said it was her first trip to Washington since last Thanksgiving. She was struck by how empty the Mall was then, compared with Saturday's mob scene.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
"Wish I'd brought a sign," said Ben Coe, 19, of Woodbine, Md., who said his occupation is "skateboarder."
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Jiashan Wu, 24, a freelance designer, said he watched Friday's "Daily Show" broadcast and made the last-minute decision to come down with friends from New York for the day. He wanted to see the rally -- and escape the Big Apple's frenetic Halloween festivities.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
George Acquaah, 25, a research assistant who lives in Silver Spring, said he thought watching the rally on TV would be a poor substitute. "I wanted to come here to see the spectacle, see the diversity, make sense of the situation and be with like-minded people," he said.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Brian Clark, 23, a student from Cornwell, N.Y., came down with friends -- including two girls who walked the Mall in furry animal costumes -- who decided they were "ready for a road trip."
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Akari Hashimura, 31, of New York, produces music for TV commercials. She was following and photographing a friend who carried a huge protest sign on which the stars of the American flag were replaced by corporate logos.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Natalya Bastille, 19, a student at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, N.Y., joined a group of classmates for the bus ride to D.C., organized by a professor who had likened the event to rallies against the Vietnam War. "This is the most important rally for our generation," Bastille said.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
Otto, a 25-year-old restaurant worker from Boone, N.C., was handing out $10 gift cards for the online charity DonorsChoose.org.
Jay Carroll for The Washington Post
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