johanna’s journey

Revisiting the Dust

I’m looking back at Juarez, and it seems overdue for an update. 2.5 years have slipped by since my time there, yet I have never left it behind. Never forgotten.

For those of you who don’t know, in 2005, I was a delegate with the Mexico Solidarity Network, joining a small group journeying to Juarez to learn about the femicide situation.

We met with lawyers, grassroots organizations, visited the prison, gravesites….

Mostly, we spent time with mothers of victims. Listening as they chronicled their unreal last weeks, months, years…. They were tired, stoic, determined, sad. They miss their girls. Many of them found their voice through the struggle; empowered by the effort.

The accounts were horrific – so much so, that I found it was hard to communicate to people. When I returned, I realized that even in the telling, it seemed the stories had to be dulled to be palatable enough for anyone to care about. No one wanted to listen to ugly truths. I guess even imagination knows pain and puts up walls.

There was hope when the presidency turned over – but as elected officials have come and gone in the past without change – so with this. 12 women were already found murdered in just the first 3 months of 2008. “12 women killed. Things don’t change,” my friend in Juarez emailed me in April. “Nevertheless, we continue putting our souls and hearts in the cause….”

My own personal testimony to the unchanging attitude came in the form of a comment I received recently on my narrative that’s posted to YouTube. I didn’t allow it to be shown. My first Death Threat.

At least I knew it was getting out there.

The issue is highlighted on the site for the International Museum of Women:

http://www.imow.org/wpp/stories/viewStory?storyId=1202