Women in Action & Hijas de Maíz

I am thoroughly glad that we were able to meet members of the Women in Action group and see the performance of Las Hijas de Maíz.

I enjoyed seeing the women’s perspectives on the work done by the group in Nicaragua and what it has done for the lives of locals. Sometimes I find myself being cynical about the influence of charity and goodwill upon people who need it, but their reaction (and similar ones I’ve seen in the past) fully illustrate the power of human actions and empathy. The group and the community have banded together to make lives better in an area in need, and they have succeeded. The fact that this can also be done on the international level (like with Compas de Nicaragua) makes it even more impressive and inspiring. It was wonderful to see the mutual appreciation created between Compas de Nicaragua and the locals in the community. No matter where one is from, he or she can make a difference for others. The women’s reactions (and the reactions of people in the video shown at the performance) demonstrated that.

I understand Women in Action to be a group in an impoverished area of Managua that sets out to increase economic and social development of the area through service in their neighborhood. It is amazing that these women have been able to overcome economic boundaries (not to mention the traditional subservience of women throughout all cultures) in order to help others. Development models like Women in Action and Compas de Nicaragua are able to increase community strength in threatened areas and increase economic development among the impoverished. It is a daunting task, but organization and commitment have proven to help. I expect that some other groups following similar models may not succeed to the same level (it depends on the precise situation in any community), but it is as effective as any model I have ever observed.

I am also glad to have learned about Women in Action because it gave me a better idea about the concept of “global feminism.” Like the focus on white women that has been too common in U.S. feminism, there is also too big of a focus on the U.S. itself. Women around the world face the same (or often even worse) conditions faced by women in the U.S., and stories of their organization and success can serve as lessons for all feminist movements. People interested in social justice must band together in order to succeed. Learning about feminist movements around the world should encourage these movements to work together to achieve the goal of equality and respect.

-Zach