Woman Shout International Festival Oaxaca 2020

Hi there! I have overdue news to share with you, sorry but this reporter was distracted with the unpredictable rhythm of 2020. Let me get straight to the point, the Women Shout International Festival Oaxaca 2020 was so inspiring! I am amazed of how everything happened! During the three days we shared time and knowledge with national and international volunteers, who collaborated with UMPO, giving women and children of our community a festival to visualize and analyze the affectations of our integrity caused by living in a society full of violence.

During the mornings we had the joy of receiving 15 community women leaders who participated in workshops of arts and self care. Photo embroidery, art therapy, traditional medicine, and creative writing. Around 30 girls participated in cultural workshops making dark cameras, rap, yoga, and creative literature.

In the afternoons we opened our doors to the public for poetry meetings conscious theater about the abuse and humiliation that we as women and girls live, commentary cinema and we open debate with local politicians about the actions we can do as women to defending our rights.

Local Zapotec indigenous women poets shared with us their inspiring and touching writing which invited the assistants to deep reflexion. The poet Pineda said “Even we are women, Muxe or girl, it’s important we create strong networks, we can be twinned by acts, by the words of art and by all the the things that make us and our communities better”. Other women poets talked about solidarity poems that visualized children orphaned by femicide. “The day my mother died, my soul died with her, Latin America, the more lethal region for women outside a war zone” recited the poet Dulce.

This festival showed us that we need to have more opportunities for women and children of our community like this one. We felt happy, reflective, relaxed, but above all we felt united.

Thanks to all the volunteers and all the people who supported this cause. We hope to repeat this experience next year and renew this awe-inspiring Festival!

Warmly,

UMPO

Volunteers:  Ilán, Estefanía, Jaime, Yanka, Chivis, Irma, America, Alba, Estebán, Lety, Tania, Jesús and his students, Margarita's kids, Josue, Dulce, Blanca, Jexhieli, Didxaza, Francisco and Doma. 

Links:

• Woman Shout Oaxaca 2020