“To live with kindness and love is completely counter-hegemonic” –Aida Hurtado
In an era of selfishness and lack of selflessness, in an institution that promotes and rewards egotism and competition, this Sex y Corazón Symposium was unique and historic, and refreshing to step into—like a sacred cenote filled with purifying waters of love and activism. Water sweetly infused with rose petals of compassion and a call for social justice.
I’m not even exaggerating.
I was made to feel proud, and honored, and privileged to be a Chicana academic in an academy that sometimes, I feel, strives to make me feel all the opposite. I was reminded of the struggles before me that enabled me to be where I am, that have given me the critical tools to interpret the world around me. The women before me on stage have created a legacy—a legacy of path-breaking knowledge, loving wisdom, and radical tools for social justice. For what is more radical than empathy? What is more radical than the call to work to cease others’ suffering? And they have suffered for it. Let’s not forget that other loving visionaries have also been crucified for preaching love. These women have been through hell for being who they are—racial, sexual, gender, and class “others” that refused to live under subjection or allow others to live under it either. But they pried off the nails from their still-bleeding flesh and moved on, crafting amazing art, literature, history, and theory that has moved us, inspired us, and enabled us to question and combat the world’s injustices.
And despite their amazingness, these women are so humble and sweet, and so compassionate and human! That is what is most breathtaking and admirable—la ternura de su corazón. But their loving spirit is not to be confused with any weakness of mind or heart. They are loving fighters. Like Antonia Castañeda, who was critiquing the writing of histories that threaten to erase us while I was driving from the airport to the hotel. When we arrived at the hotel, she asked me if I had eaten, since I’d been driving around all day. When I replied that I hadn’t eaten, she gave me her Safeway grocery bag with two apples an orange to hold me up. She gave me the food she had brought for herself because I was hungry. I ate one apple, but I’m still saving the other apple and orange in the fridge for a day I really require the loving sustenance that Antonia gave me.
For all these reasons, I was so proud to be there to witness this event and to get to talk and cross paths with such amazing women. My thoughts are still percolating and I will undoubtedly write more about this historic day in the days and months and years to come because the event was truly life-changing for me. But I just wanted to get this off my chest right now and capture the feelings in their raw state. This, plus the fact that I want to thank all of the amazing women who participated in the symposium as soon as possible. I want to let you know that your work has impacted us forever and you are an inspiration to us all.
Gracias from the bottom of my heart, for giving me the strength, the heart, and the critical tools to keep on going!
With much love and admiration,
Georgina Guzmán
PhD Candidate in English, UCLA
Research Assistant to Prof. Alicia Gaspar de Alba
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