Mexico

In the late 1960’s, there was much exchange between women in Mexico and Grail members in the U.S., looking to strengthen ties and analysis of social and economic forces impacting women from wealthier countries of the North and poorer communities of the South.  Many international gatherings took place within this North/South exchange, involving small groups of women as well as larger international forums. In 1989, the Grail community of Mexico was represented at the International Grail Assembly and in 1990, seven women made a commitment to join the Grail as members.  Throughout this period, founding members of the Grail in Mexico were working in rural base communities, workers movements, cooperatives, and in projects to promote women’s empowerment and leadership.   

In 1992, on the 500^th anniversary of the “discovery” and colonization of America, Grail women hosted over 100 women, from the U.S., Canada, Brazil and other countries throughout the Americas, in a forum to share information about their countries, their political and economic situations, and to nurture solidarity, inspired by their Grail vision.  An emerging network of Grail Women of the Americas continued to meet over a twenty-year period, bringing together women from urban and rural areas to network and participate in education and action for systemic change.  

Since 2012, nationally, we have worked more in coalition with NGOs, adding our efforts to national campaigns for food sovereignty, against trafficking in persons, especially girls, for respect for the rights of indigenous rural groups regarding the dispossession of their territories and common property, as well as respect to their cultural rights (language, sacred spaces and preservation of their traditions).  At the local level, our efforts focus on strengthening women’s leadership, designing workshops together with local leaders, on topics such as traditional medicine and traditional cooking using local ingredients. We use “teatro campesino” to show how trafficking works, how to use social networks, cultural models of being a man or a woman. Always we connect our spiritual values to issues of gender.

Our national-local work is a treasure, reflecting the diversity of our backgrounds and ways that are required to approach our diverse reality.  Today our members are primarily located in Mexico City as well as in Morelos.