On this Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos, or Undas, the International Women’s Alliance-US pays tribute to the women who inspire us to continue the fight for our rights, livelihood and futures. Within the past year alone, we have lost women whose lives were dedicated to defending their communities and fighting for a better world.
Today, we uplift Dolores Huerta, who spent decades dedicating herself to the advancement of farmworker rights. She is an inspiration to all working and migrant women who are needed at the leadership of our fights. Her work and life has contributed so much to improving the conditions for farmworkers, while surviving gender-based violence herself.
From ICE’s fascist murder of Renee Good in Minnesota to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ massacre of Kai Sorem, Maureen Santuyo, Alyssa Alano, and the rest of the Negros 19, we also mourn senseless loss of women’s lives due to state violence.
It is always just for women to fight back in the face of fascism, and we refuse to let any state forces try to smear their names or vilify the causes these women stood for. In fact, we in IWA US are inspired and committed to advancing the fights to defend our communities, families and people from fascist violence.
Lastly, we remember women who are victims of military violence, war and genocide. We have lost too many women, children and entire families to US-backed war and genocide.
At our Women’s Peace Forum in October, we uplifted many different women and children whose lives we mourn, including Anna Yagi, Jennifer Laude, Yun Geum-i, Hind Rajab and many more whose lives were stolen by the US empire.
These women have shown us that there is still so much to fight for. As we prepare for the IWA US Country Chapter Launch, we call on all women to help us build the militant women’s movement not only for ourselves but for women across the world and to continue our just struggle for a better future!
Rest in Power!
Women Fight Fascism!
Women Against Imperialist War!