A 20 year continental embrace
20th Anniversary of the Latin American Network of women defenders of social and environmental rights.
This week, the Latin American Network of Women Defenders of Social and Environmental Rights (The Network or La RED for short in Spanish) is celebrating its 20th anniversary. I am here in Colombia to celebrate with them, share their energy, and continue supporting their projects, each of which is deeply connected to their communities and rooted in their organizations’ tireless work.
During this time in Bogotá, women from all over Latin America will gather to recharge, ponder political strategies and plan. This is a continental gathering of the highest magnitude! Indigenous women from the Ecuadorian Amazon and the Peten forest in Honduras, from the cold Peruvian paramo to the overpopulated cities of Mexico, Brazil, and Venezuela are here. Academics, artists, peasants, Afro-descendant farmers from the Caribbean coast of Ecuador, and healers—all from across the continent—have gathered in a small room to support and care for each other, in a continental embrace.
KAIROS has been part of La RED (the Network) since its inception, which was born from the need of women in Latin America to address the gendered impacts of resource extraction and support each other during challenging times.
In opposing resource extraction, they face repression, violence, displacement and dispossession. Yet they continue to fight for their families, their land and their future. They often felt alone, but through gathering, marching and meeting, they realized the importance of creating a network of women defenders who could support each other, listen to each other and cry and laugh together.
This group of women has seen their children born and their families grow. They have experienced both victories and injustices, but they persevere, stronger than ever. They support each other in many ways like frequent meetings, voicing their common demands and learning from each other.
KAIROS has been honoured to be part of their struggles, their victories and their losses. Today we mourned the memory of Gloria Chicaiza (1969-2019) mother and founder of la RED. Her vital pulse moved us, convoked us and taught us so many lessons on kindness and courage. Her memory is alive, each and every time we gather, and when two or more women hold hands and see into each other in the others’ eyes, knowing we are not alone and we will never be so.
Today, I held the hand of Laura, a young woman from Bogotá, Colombia, who is part of CENSAT Agua Viva. I saw her ancestors, women standing tall in her eyes because of her fight, kindness and courage. We thanked each other for being there because, in each other, we saw ourselves and our sisters along the continent. We embraced each other and cared for each other. Through this gesture, I was reminded that we can support each other with kindness and courage, as Gloria wanted and as Laura did.
Today, we learned about rare mineral extraction from the humble beet—yes, the deeply red root vegetable. We learned about copper and lithium in our blood, in the land, in beets around the world and in our phones. What a lesson in science, care and environmental justice! I would love to tell you more about justice, reparations, rare minerals and beets. But let’s keep this note short for now.
Thanks to your courage and solidarity, we can support women gathering from all over Latin America to nurture and protect each other and their territories. Let’s continue to be part of their dreams and dream together of a continent and a world, our common home, with climate justice and peace with nature. This is a kairos moment—our moment!
By Silvia Vasquez-Olguin, Global Partnerships Coordinator, Latin America and Gender Justice.
