Residents in Humboldt County, California, won't be taking to the streets for their annual Women's March this January, after organizers canceled the local event over concerns that it would be "overwhelmingly white."

In a statement announcing the decision, organizers of the local Women's March chapter said that it had noticed that its past events had lacked diversity, "representation from several perspectives in our community," and "crucial voices."

Instead of holding the Jan. 19 rally, the group said it will use its time and energy "for outreach."

"This decision was made after many conversations between local social-change organizers and supporters of the march," the organizers wrote in a Facebook post. "Instead of pushing forward with crucial voices absent, the organizing team will take time for more outreach."

In follow-up comments on Facebook, leaders explained that they hoped to retool and home in on an event "around International Women's Day" in March.

That initiative "already has momentum," wrote Beth Ann Wylie, who posted the initial announcement. "Could be possible to ramp those up with a rally and march as part of the week's events. Lets talk!"

Known for its dense redwood forests and potent cannabis, Humboldt County is predominantly white, middle-class, and rural. About 74% of the area identifies as non-Hispanic white and about half the population is female, according to the US Census Bureau. Hillary Clinton won the county with 58.3% of the vote in the 2016 presidential race.



Since its inception, the Women's March has struggled with questions about race and diversity, both among the national leadership and in local chapters around the country. And as the organization prepares to hold its third annual Women's March rallies next month, several of its leaders have been mired in a controversy over their ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, a black nationalist known for his anti-Semitic views.

