ARTICLE: “This little light is for you (…) Take it and put it together with other lights” – International Meeting of Women in Struggle

From March 8^th to 10^th, 2018, the First International, Political, Artistic, Sports and Cultural Meeting of Women in Struggle took place in the Caracol of Morelia, Tzotz Choj area, Chiapas, which was organized collectively by the Zapatista women of the five Caracoles. It was an open meeting space for women from all over the world with a wide variety of activities, workshops, concerts, presentations and exhibitions with a feminist and intercultural approach, which sought to empower the participants.

“This March 8^th, at the end of our participation, we lit a small light each one of us.

We lit it with a candle so that it takes time, because with a match it ends quickly and a lighter might break.

That little light is for you.

Take it, sister, compañera.

When you feel lonely.

When you are afraid.

When you feel that the struggle is very hard, or should I say life?

Light it again in your heart, in your thoughts, in your guts.

And do not keep it, compañera, sister.

Take it to the disappeared.

Take it to the murdered.

Take it to the prisoners.

Take it to the raped.

Take it to the beaten.

Take it to the harassed.

Take it to the victims of all forms of violence.

Take it to the migrants.

Take it to the exploited.

Take it to the dead.

Take it and tell each and every one of them that she is not alone, that you are going to fight for her.

That you will fight for the truth and justice that her pain deserves.

That you are going to fight so that the pain she bears does not happen again to another woman in any world.

Take it and turn it into anger, into courage, into decision.

Take it and put it together with other lights.

Take it and, perhaps, then it will occur to you that there will be neither truth, nor justice, nor freedom in the patriarchal capitalist system.

Then perhaps we’ll meet again to set the system on fire.

And perhaps you will be with us making sure that no one extinguishes that fire until there is nothing left but ashes.

And then, sister, compañera, that day that will be night, perhaps we can say with you:

“Well, now we’re going to start building the world we deserve and need.”

And then yes, perhaps, we will understand that the real shit begins and that right now, we are practicing, training, as they say, to be aware of the most important things that are needed.

And what is needed is that no more women, whatever the world, of whatever color, of whatever size, of whatever age, of whatever language, of whatever culture, be afraid.

Because here we know well that when you say “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!” that the path is just starting and that what there is a long way to go. “

– Words of the Zapatista women at the closing of the First Meeting of Women in Struggle, in the Zapatista Caracol of Morelia

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful for the collaboration of the photographers, whose different visions and takes of the meeting shaped this photo-report, which reflects the empowerment, coexistence and energy of all the women present. They also help spread the efforts and work of the Zapatista women, who convened and planned the International Meeting of Women in Struggle; an event, which brought together women from more than 27 states of the country and 34 countries around the world, of all colors, ages, sizes, beliefs, languages and cultures.

Special thanks to Alejandra Carrillo Olando, Massiel Garcia Hernandez, Valentina Rendon Rivadeneyra and the members of Trasluz Photo Koral Carballo, Victoria Razo and Selena Ugalde.