El Ciudadano
Original article: La memoria que incomoda: el legado de Alicia Cáceres llega a la UAH
The upcoming event on Wednesday, April 29, will feature the presentation of the book “Alicia Cáceres. Transforming Lives. La Victoria Community (1957-2017)”, published by the Alicia Cáceres Foundation. The event will take place in the Belarmino Hall at the Alberto Hurtado University, located at Av. Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins, starting at 6:00 PM.
Moderated by Alexis Cortés from UAH, the discussion will include comments from Elizabeth Lira, a recipient of the National Social Sciences Award; historian Mario Garcés from the University of Santiago; and Gloria Ochoa, a co-author of the book from the Alicia Cáceres Foundation – Germina.
The book, which was initially launched in the La Victoria neighborhood this January, is the result of extensive research and a reflection on the memories of individuals who connected with Cáceres at various points during her life as a resident of La Victoria.
It is important to note that Cáceres was a prominent social activist and advocate for decent housing and justice in underprivileged areas. She was a founder of the La Victoria Community in 1957, participating in Latin America’s first land takeover.
Alicia Cáceres maintained an unwavering commitment through several critical periods in Chile’s history, including the 1960s, the Popular Unity government, the military dictatorship, and the transition period, which she described as a «fraud.»
Thus, Cáceres left a legacy as a leader of the people’s movement, recognized for her “rebellious joy” and serving as a symbol of strength and hope for grassroots organizations.
Cáceres was not only a resident of La Victoria but also a social and political activist, a Christian advocate, a popular educator, and a mother, all intertwined with a clear political vision: to inspire meaningful social change. These aspirations are at the heart of the reflections shared by the authors of the book.
The team at El Ciudadano spoke with representatives from the Alicia Cáceres Foundation, who asserted that there is a systematic invisibility of women in community knowledge production, a reality that reflects an order favoring elite voices, particularly from men.
“In this context, the book and the Foundation’s work aim to disrupt that omission by placing the journey of Alicia Cáceres at the forefront, not just as an individual figure, but as a representation of an entire generation of women in the housing movement, where women took center stage,” they noted.
According to the foundation, Cáceres’ story reveals multiple community dynamics that sustained life amidst extreme economic, social, and cultural precariousness, compounded by “brutal state repression.” For the foundation, highlighting those experiences acts as a recognition of the human dignity of the working class.
Furthermore, Cáceres’ history showcases her ability to generate initiatives and collective projects that continue to this day.
Additionally, the organization explained that in Chile’s institutional reality, foundations often serve as power spaces where families and dominant groups perpetuate models of citizenship subservient to a hierarchical order of privilege.
Moreover, the foundation highlighted that one of the main lessons from Alicia Cáceres’ trajectory is the importance of multi-actor collaboration in valuing citizens within community experiences, positioning care as a politically conceived practice rather than merely a necessity. “Addressing everyday problems collectively can transform both individual lives and the community, creating a foundational approach that deeply enhances this collective practice.”
For the foundation, looking back at the La Victoria community in the 1970s illustrates an organized population marked by extreme precarious conditions. In that context, experiences such as reclaiming a vacant lot to turn it into an educational play area are profoundly significant.
“The creation of spaces like ‘early education corners,’ the makeshift classrooms with thatched roofs, and the organizing of rotating volunteer shifts to sustain collectively planned educational activities reflect a form of situated social innovation born out of necessity and creativity as community and class politics,” they added.
According to the organization, initiatives like the La Victoria preschool not only addressed an immediate problem but also fostered community-building, generating meaning and opening up new horizons. “Today, these practices offer critical tools to tackle complex contexts: organization, territorial self-management, collective care, and education as community practice.”
Finally, the foundation expressed hope that the intersection of the lived experiences of the La Victoria community and academic reflection will generate authentic dialogue wherein knowledge is built through participatory engagement and the integration of diverse understandings.
“Popular memory, especially that which arises from experiences of struggle and organization, possesses an irreverent character as it questions the traditional frameworks through which knowledge is produced and validated. Therefore, it is essential for academia to be challenged by these experiences,” they concluded.
From the organization’s perspective, their goal is not simply to “bring” memory into the academic realm but to disrupt, open, and infuse it with alternative ways of understanding the world, education, politics, and community.
“This encounter may enable new questions, novel methodologies, and above all, a deeper connection between thought and political action in the community. In that sense, allowing academia to be permeated by this irreverent memory is not just necessary but urgent if we wish to develop knowledge that meets the current political and social challenges,” they emphasized.
La entrada Alicia Cáceres’ Legacy Unveiled: Book Presentation at UAH Highlights Women’s Role in Social Justice se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.
🔥 Ver noticia completa en ElCiudadano.cl 🔥
