Among those participating in the March for Life in Washington, D.C., this year were Lea and Josef Sollmann of Port Angeles and Erin Henninger of Sequim.

Henninger joined fellow students from the University of Mary, Bismarck, N.D., as they carried the banner at the front of the National March for Life, according to Ann Marie Henninger, her mother, in an email.

Erin Henninger, 22, a graduate student in occupational therapy, is a student ambassador of Students for Life at the University of Mary, and as such was invited to help carry the lead banner for the march this year, her mother said.

“Lea and Josef Sollmann also marched — Lea holding onto same banner as Erin,” Ann Marie Henninger said.

Erin Henninger said she was marching for life “no matter what stage, gender, beliefs, ability, because someone has to start. Someone has to stand up and say, ‘This is not right and will never be right.’

“I can’t stand by while life is discarded in its most vulnerable stage,” she said.

“I can’t stand by and do nothing while people make the assumption that women aren’t strong enough to handle unexpected pregnancies. I will not be silent when so many have been silenced by abortion, euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide and the culture of death.”

Together with the president of the university, Monsignor James Shea, more than 600 students from the University of Mary traveled to the march, Ann Marie Henninger said.

The university was invited to lead this year’s march after national media attention was attracted when they and thousands of march-goers were snowbound for 54 hours on a Pennsylvania turnpike in buses lined up for miles returning home from the 2016 March for Life, she said.

“Henninger and the entire UMary community are grateful and honored to have been asked to lead over 50,000 marchers in defense of human life,” said Ann Marie Henninger.

Erin’s father is Ray Henninger. Lea and Josef Sollmann are the children of Lorenz and Patty Sollmann.

“This was also the first time in the 44 years of the March for Life that a vice president has attended,” she said.

Erin Henninger of Sequim is pictured at far left as she participates in the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C.