{"id":5878,"date":"2021-05-13T08:55:50","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T14:55:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/?p=5878"},"modified":"2025-10-08T09:20:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T14:20:46","slug":"como-un-colectivo-de-liberacion-femenina-practica-la-atencion-comunitaria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/borderlessmag.org\/es\/2021\/05\/13\/how-a-femme-liberation-collective-is-practicing-community-care\/","title":{"rendered":"C\u00f3mo un colectivo de liberaci\u00f3n femenina practica la atenci\u00f3n comunitaria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t
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In May of 2019, a 36-year-old Chicago woman named Elizabeth Martinez went missing. She was last seen in Pilsen and was found safe nearly eight months<\/a> later. While police did not release details around her disappearance, many residents of Pilsen and Little Village believed it came amid a spate of attempted abductions<\/a> and incidents of gender-based violence in their neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

Leer en espa\u00f1ol<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Community member Kari* knew that these were not solitary incidents and that femme-identifying people in the surrounding neighborhood needed protection. In October 2019, she and other femme-identifying folks and survivors of gender-based violence came together to form Femme Defensa<\/a>. The group supports femmes in Pilsen and Little Village and provides them with tools and tactics to keep themselves safe.<\/p>\n

For instance, Femme Defensa has developed self-defense Muay Thai classes and provided walking buddies for people between transportation stops and their home. Its members have also handed out packs with items for self-defense and trained people in bystander intervention, particularly rapid response tactics to resist ICE raids.<\/p>\n

When the pandemic first surged in Chicago, Femme Defensa shifted its focus to distribute food to residents in Pilsen and Little Village in need. Acknowledging that this is a need that will be prevalent long after the pandemic, the group has since extended these efforts to other parts of the city\u2019s South and West sides.<\/p>\n

Borderless spoke with Femme Defensa organizers Mari Posa* and Pura* about what it means to respond to the needs of neighbors and the importance of creating sustainable communities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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