Women in Action & Hijas de Maíz

I found the dance quite entertaining and for me, a new experience. Folklore was something I may have heard of once, but never seen in action. The women of the Las Hijas de Maíz were talented in in their dancing style and their community development spoke for itself. The talk in class was very informative on the pull their organization has created in the neighborhood of La Primavera in Managua. A few facts I thought were awesome to hear came from the topic of women leaders in Nicaragua. The Vice President and Head Police Chief are both women. Something that has never happened in the history of the United States. I found their determination to change the culture in Managua inspiring. Men had the upper-hand in the household and society, which created a place of violence and uncertainty for women. This organization aimed at helping women gain that that edge over men so that their decisions would not be met with violence. The story of the man being sent to jail and returning with a new outlook on how he felt about the organization was phenomenal. Women were given the needed tools if their husbands created an unsafe environment. This model they are implementing in Managua is creating fearless women who are ready to make the needed changes for future generations. I also found the part of their organization that helped children and young adults continue their education, as a promising program. This model will continue to grow and reach many in the Managua alone and hopefully all of Nicaragua.

“Global feminism” is not a familiar term for me, but I would like to understand how it differs and compares to what is happening in the United States. I understand that in many countries, women have far less rights than what many receive here in our country. For instance, Saudi Arabia just recently, in the year 2017! Allowed women to drive vehicles. Things like this show that despite the many progressions from the 20th century, women are far from being free in countries across the world. Furthermore, I do want to know more about the laws and policies for the working woman, as this is a huge issue in the United States. Creating organizations like the women of Las Hijas de Maíz can help get the message across and bring people into a discussion that needs to be done.