WATERLOO - Telisa Burt considers herself an engaged citizen, willing to speak her mind and fight for what she believes.

She drove in from suburban Maryland to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Saturday to help impart those qualities to her 6-year-old daughter, Nile.

The Waterloo native was among an estimated tens of thousands of demonstrators marching for peace. The march was organized by United for Peace and Justice and brought together antiwar activists from various walks of life. The protestors lined the streets calling for President Bush to bring the troops home from Iraq.

Burt and her daughter made a sign, that read "we're the deciders, bring them home." Telisa drew the poster and Nile colored it in.

"I really enjoyed being there. The point of being there is there are several different ways to effect change. There's grass roots, like we had today, and then there's the actions of the lawmakers," Burt said. She used the event as a learning experience for Nile.

A 1991 East Waterloo High School graduate, Burt lived in Baltimore for several years before moving back to Waterloo in 2000. She moved back to Maryland last summer when she accepted a job with the federal Administration of Children and Families.

Burt attended the Million Man March in Washington in 1997 and the Million Woman March in Philadelphia in 1997.

"Those were huge. This wasn't as big, but there were lots and lots of people," Burt said.

She was struck by dramatic displays by performance artists during the march. Some dressed with hoods over there faces, as if they were prisoners from Abu Ghraib. Others walked the streets splattered with fake blood, imitating injured Iraqi citizens.

"The performance artists' pieces gave you time to reflect. But overall it was more about a spirit of solidarity," Burt said.

Burt said she knew many people who have been in military service in Iraq for several years. Her personal opposition to the war stemmed from those people's stories and grew when news came out about erroneous intelligence reports that led to the war.

She wants more people to become involved in the political process.

"Whether it's going to a rally or writing a letter to your congressman or senator, you need to make sure they represent the people who put them there," Burt said.

Contact Jon Ericson at (319) 291-1402 or jonathan.ericson@wcfcourier.com.