Angelica Maria Sánchez Gomez, Mexico

“It is shocking to hear a nine year-old child tell you that they cannot imagine what they want to be when they grow up,” says Angelica Maria Sánchez Gomez of Mexico City. “Or, they tell you they want to be like their father and their father is the local drug dealer.”

For more than 20 years, Angelica worked with women and at-risk children, most recently as the director of programs for the Machincuepa Circo Social (Machincuepa Social Circus). The organization works with at-risk youth between the ages of 9-25, training them as performers and, along the way, improving their self esteem and their decision making and leadership skills.

But Angelica saw the potential to do more. Four years ago, she formed a similar group for women, strengthening their sense of self worth and their support networks. These women have addressed issues such as early pregnancy and domestic violence.

Angelica feels she was lucky in her life even though she began to work at the age of fourteen. She earned good money, but she saw all the women in that company answering phones and she decided that was not going to be her future.

She continued to work, but applied herself more in school and used the money she earned to buy books and study materials. She says she learned the importance of taking control of your life and economic independence. She continues to share those lessons with the women in her program.

But she is well aware that life is not easy for all Mexican women. Women have parity under the law, but the cultural norm is still discriminatory against women.

The stereotypical gender roles are deeply rooted in this traditional society, particularly among those living below the poverty line despite the fact that women have taken on new responsibilities.

“When I began the project I thought that only four women would come, but if four came that would be enough,” she recalled. “The first day 26 women showed up, and now over 66 percent of the participants in Machincuepa are women. That means we are on the right path.”

In 2007, Angelica attended CEDPA’s Global Women in Management workshop in Houston, TX.

The workshop brought together 26 women Spanish-speaking from numerous countries for sessions on project management, decision-making, business development, proposal writing, and monitoring and evaluation over a four-week period. Although participants shared a common language and a desire to improve the world that they live in, they had vastly different cultures and experiences.

“I believe we live in a country, in a world, where we are isolated. We are disconnected from the real humanity. Nowadays we don’t even look at each other,” Angelica said. “Being with my fellow participants who bring a passion for life, who have fought and shared their stories with us made me return to the root of humanity, that connection, and it compels me to say I am connected and I want to stay connected.”

Angelica returned to Mexico and shared what she learned with her co-workers and the women in her program. Today, Angelica continues to contribute to the empowerment of the women of her country.

(Jan. 2010)