Juana, La avanzadora

Written in past tense with 440 family words:
328 unique to Spanish + 112 cognates.

Themes:
•⁠ Women in Armed Conflict and the Fight for Independence
•⁠ ⁠Women’s Representation in Public Spaces and Monuments
•⁠ ⁠From Slavery to Independence

The history of women during the Venezuelan War of Independence is marked by their absence. They are better known as cooks, nurses or companions in the revolutionary struggles of their husbands and male relatives. We know little about the women who fought on the battlefield against the Spanish Empire. Juana Ramírez is an exception.

Born into slavery in 1790, Juana Ramírez dreamed of an equal society for brown, indigenous and black people. Juana hoped to join the fight for independence from the Spanish Empire, but women were relegated to accompanying fathers, husbands, sons or brothers who went to war. At the age of 15, she joined the fight as a simple laundress and then as a makeshift nurse. But when all seemed lost at the Battle of Alto de los Godos on 25 May 1813 and the men had fallen, her actions at the head of a 100-strong all-female artillery unit won them the war. Did Juana live to see her dream of freedom come true?

María Cano, La Flor del Trabajo

Written in past tense with 540 family words: 395 unique to Spanish + 145 cognates.
Themes:
•⁠ Women’s Fight for Equality
•⁠ Workers’ Rights and Social Justice
•⁠ Breaking Social Expectations

María Cano was a woman who broke the mold. She was different. She was a woman who worked so others could have a better life. She fought for women’s rights.

María Cano was a Colombian thinker and political activist who, in a time when women had no voice or representation in society, raised hers to fight for workers’ and women’s rights. Persecuted for her political beliefs, María fought tirelessly so that the most humble, the exploited, and the poor could live a better life. Discover her story.

“There are many restrictions for women. Women do not have freedom. I am a woman, but I do not want to follow the expectations that society has for me. I want to be different.

Is it possible to be a different kind of woman?
Is it possible to be a woman and be free at the same time?
Is it possible to be a woman in a new way?
Is it possible to be the woman I want to be and not the woman society expects me to be?”

Guaitipán, La líder guerrera

Written in past tense with 485 family words: 372 unique to Spanish + 113 cognates.

Themes:
•⁠ Indigenous Resistance Against Colonization
•⁠ Women as Leaders in Armed Conflict
•⁠ Right to Land

The history of indigenous resistance during the Spanish conquest is often overlooked, especially the role of women. Many indigenous women fought fiercely to protect their land, culture, and people, yet their stories remain hidden. Guaitipán is one of those women whose bravery has endured through oral tradition.

A warrior leader, Guaitipán led one of the most powerful indigenous resistances against the Spanish invasion alongside her people. The colonizers erased her story from history books, fearing that remembering her would inspire indigenous communities to rise, to have hope, and to keep fighting.

For Guaitipán and her people, the land was more than just territory—it was life, identity, and history. The right to land and its ownership became one of the strongest motivations for resistance.

However, thanks to the oral tradition of indigenous communities, Guaitipán’s legacy lives on today.

Teresita, La maestra del piano

Written in past tense with 569 family words:
414 unique to Spanish + 155 cognates.

Themes:
•⁠ Racism & Intersectionality

Teresita is a revolutionary woman who fought alone, with her piano and her music, to bring classical music, traditionally reserved for the urban elite, to all social classes.

Teresita broke stereotypes, defied norms and challenged the system. With her music, she opened doors for many others to enter after her. The world of classical music in Medellín and Colombia has a before and an after Teresita Gómez. She taught us that “music is stronger than racism”.