Symposium highlights femicide and gender-based violence

EDITOR’S NOTE: See an additional story on this event by CrimsonWire’s Arturo Chafino-Marquez, who also wrote a Spanish-language version of his story. Check them both out at CrimsonWire.org.

By Karmina Conde

LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Students, scholars and community members gathered at New Mexico State University to call attention to feminicide and gender-based violence through art, conversation and remembrance.

The 21st J. Paul Taylor Social Justice Symposium was titled Ni Una Más: Standing Together Against Feminicide and Gender-based Violence. The event’s name served as a continuation of the 2006 symposium topic: “Justice for the women of Juárez.”

“It’s important that these generations talk about these forms of violence and gender-based violence because these are some of the most horrendous forms of violence we have experienced in our region,” Cynthia Bejarano, the symposium co-chair, said.

The symposium offered workshops including pin-making and a canvas and dress making workshop that encouraged participants to visually express messages against violence.

The event also featured a candlelight vigil, where community members joined in singing “Ni Una Más,” a feminist anthem meaning “Not one more.” The anthem has its roots in feminist activism across Latin America.

After the vigil, they put up a display of pink crosses and hand-decorated dresses. The crosses were inspired by artist Irene Simmons, who two decades ago displayed pink crosses and dresses across NMSU to honor femicide victims.

“That’s an issue that is very dear to me and to so many other people,” Bejarano said. “The issue of feminicidios where women and girls were missing or were assassinated in the northern regions of Mexico, but in this case Chihuahua in particular.” 

According to Refugees International, femicide in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, became a major human rights crisis in the early 1990s. The cases gained international attention as families criticized authorities for slow investigations and limited accountability.

Pink crosses and dresses like those were originally placed in public spaces in Ciudad Juárez. The symbols are used to honor victims of feminicide and keep attention on the violence that continues to affect women and girls in the region.

“Juarez is another side of the border, it’s relatively close and it kinda shows you unity between people,” NMSU student Francisco Moran said.

In the last couple of years, women in Mexico have come in unity to fight the violence happening in the country.

In 2020, women across Mexico participated in “Un Día Sin Nosotras,” —a day without women— a national strike where women stayed home from work and school to demonstrate how essential they are to society and to protest feminicide and gender-based violence.

“People will ignore it unless you make noise and this strike did exactly that,” said Silvana Chávez, a Chihuahua resident who participated in the 2020 national strike. “Once you get their attention and make them uncomfortable, they will pay attention.”

Bejarano said she expected the crosses and canvases to have that same reaction of sparking reflection and discomfort, pushing viewers to confront the realities of gender-based violence that are often overlooked or distant from daily campus life.

“It opens a lot of students’ eyes, they realize not everything’s peaches and cream,” Moran said. “They realize there’s another situation outside of the university and outside of the U.S.”

Organizers hope the symposium’s message continues to spark dialogue and awareness across the community.

If you or someone you know suffers from gender-based violence, you can contact the Office of Institutional Equity at 575-646-3635 or at equity@nmsu.edu