By Carola Rico
Every year on March 8, women around the world are recognized for their achievements and for breaking down barriers to positions that used to be off limits just for being a woman.
Even so, there is a growing wave of femicides and gender violence around the world. The mixed picture on equal rights also needs to be addressed. Although there is still a lot to do, it is apparent that women today are more determined than ever, and understand that the struggle is not yet over.
Atención is undertaking telling the stories of women in San Miguel de Allende who work in different areas.
María, Virginia, and Angélica work in the city’s Department of Public Services as cleaners. Their job is to make sure that the streets of the most beautiful world heritage city, according to some international magazines, are perfectly cleaned.
These women are in charge of cleaning streets all over the city. They work eight hours a day, with a lunch break. They tell us that during the pandemic they were also in charge of sanitizing wherever they swept. These three women are heads of households, and say that this work provides them with their main source of family income.
Araceli works for the state’s Ministry of Public Security as a police officer in SMA. Her job mainly entails providing directions, and sometimes historical and cultural information to visitors. She also maintains public order and ensures that families visiting the city feel safe.
Araceli told Atención that she works to provide her children with a better standard of living, no matter if she has to deal with bad weather such as cold or rain, or face the risks of working at night. She is sure that this is all worth it, as long as her three children are well and have everything they need. She added, though, that she regrets spending time away from them. Since she is on call 24/7, she has to be ready for any assignment.
Laura Susana Acosta Torres is director of the UNAM (National University of Mexico), San Miguel Extension. She is a dental surgeon and a graduate from UNAM of Mexico City, where she received her doctoral degree, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in nanotechnology and biomaterials at the Center for Applied Physics and Advanced Technology at UNAM. In 2020 she was accepted as a member of the National Academy of Medicine and is currently director of the ENES Leon Unit at UNAM. She is a full-time PRIDE “D” Titular Career Professor “B” and a Level 1 national researcher for CONACYT (National Council of Science and Technology). She has been responsible for six financed projects in the sciences; has published 35 articles in indexed journals and 26 in peer-reviewed journals, has published two books, and has the public Copyright Registry of three manuals for practical teaching in nano-sciences.
Dr. Torres is a tutor for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in biological sciences and dental sciences at UNAM. She is also on the editorial committee and a reviewer for national and international journals; a member of the International Association for Research in Dentistry (IADR), the National Society of Researchers in Dentistry (SNIO), the Biomaterials Network Organs and Tissue Engineering (REDBIOT), CONACYT, the Mexican Federation of Schools and Faculties of Dentistry (FMFEO), and the Federation of Faculties and Schools of Dentistry in Latin America (OFEDO).
Dr. Torres spoke with Atención on the occasion of International Women’s Day, which to her represents dedication, passion, creativity, vision, strength, capacity, and sensitivity.
Throughout her professional career, Dr. Torres has faced many challenges. She had to overcome her own fears in order to grow and conduct herself in a professional environment where women must define their interests carefully and choose their unique paths to achieve their individual goals. She had to learn how to organize her time to combine her professional activities with motherhood. This makes her feel very proud and fulfilled.
For Dr. Torres, forming support networks between men and women is very important. She considers such alliances much more powerful when we support each other as women and believes that everything is easier that way. Her final message was, “Being a member of the sorority of women and helping other women must be our banner—to never leave anyone alone and to be sensitive to others.”
Paulina Gallardo is a 39-year-old San Miguel de Allende businesswoman and an alderperson on the city council of Mayor Mauricio Trejo Pureco for the term of 2021-2024. This council is made up of five alderpersons, a trustee, and a secretary. Women are in the majority.
In addition to being a businesswoman, Gallardo is the mother of a little girl. She knows that all the decisions she makes will have future consequences. If they are good decisions, they will reap something good; if they are bad, they will teach valuable lessons. Through the life tests she has faced, Gallardo has learned not ask herself “why,” but rather “what for,” and through these tests, she has learned important lessons that have made her a better human being. She said that in the current government, the focus is on forging an alliance between its men and women, who are working together to achieve positive results for the good of San Miguel’s citizens. This city council is distributed both in the municipal seat and in surrounding rural areas and represents the more than 160,000 residents of the city.
She also spoke about this administration’s Women’s Institute, a space for physically and mentally abused women, as well as those with problems related to children. One of the services offered by the Institute is providing advice and information by experts in legal and psychological matters. Gallardo stressed that most abuse begins at home, with risk factors including discrimination due to appearance, manner of speaking, economic or social insecurity, etc. Therefore, she emphasized that it is important for women to love themselves, because only in loving themselves will they receive respect from others. If a woman feels vulnerable, others can more easily hurt her. But when she decides to set limits and chooses to respect others, she can demand respect for herself.
Gallardo noted that the Women’s Institute has found that domestic violence occurs more frequently rural communities and stressed that through DIF (Family Social Development) and the Institute, abused women can get the help and advice that they need.
As an alderperson, a mother with a family, and businesswoman, Gallardo would like to be a voice for the women of San Miguel. She wants them to know that they can approach her and know they are not alone. In difficult circumstances, what is most important in making a difference is not to be afraid, to speak to our inner self, and put a stop to all kinds of violence.
Gallardo concluded with this: “Love yourself. Love begins with yourself; speak nicely to yourself. Look in the mirror and see the best human being you can be. Let’s respect this temple that is our body, which will always be with us. Let’s live for ourselves, love one other, and live in harmony with everyone around us.»
Cover photo by Paola Velasco.
