¡Hola, queridos!
This week I’ve been doing some reflecting on the importance
of community and context in research, especially when it comes to the type of
qualitative research that my team is doing. We have been involving locals in
the research process and have visited our field site several times. Most of our
understanding of Villa El Salvador (the shantytown in the district of Lima
where our focus groups were held) has come from reading about the area. In
these readings, I have learned about an incredible woman whose work in her
community inspires me to do more.
Her name was María Elena Moyano.
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| A mural of María Elena Moyano that we passed on our way to our interview site in Villa El Salvador. |
In the 80’s, all of Peru was being terrorized by a group
called The Shining Path. During this time of national chaos and fear, Moyano
focused on local change in her hometown of Villa El Salvador. She became
president of the local chapter of Federación Popular de Mujeres (the Popular
Women’s Federation) through which she opened and operated hundreds of communal
kitchens and started a Vaso de Leche program, which ensured that children
received a cup of milk per day. She later became deputy mayor of Villa El
Salvador. She was outspoken against corruption and violence on all sides. She
was assassinated by The Shining Path in 1992, a day after leading a march
against the violence they fomented. However, newspapers the next day carried
the headline: “They will shoot her, they will blow her up…. And they will not be able to kill her!” Her legacy is still very much alive and well.
In times when it could have been easy to look at the large
picture of what was happening in her country and feel hopeless, Moyano instead
chose to celebrate the strengths of her community and make a difference where
she could.
It’s easy to get lost in numbers, excerpts, and journal
articles when conducting research. Reminding myself to look at the context of
our data has kept me motivated and has given me a deeper appreciation for the
work that I have been privileged to do.
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| With your example, we shall overcome. |
Here’s to strong women who make the world a better place.
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