I remember her smiling, slim and pretty. Francesca Gargallo, sitting in a flowerbed in the agora of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of UNAM, conveyed tranquility, human warmth and strength.
That bright afternoon, my mother, my son, who is barely two years old -as far as I remember- and I met Francesca to talk about different topics that concerned the three of us, such as feminism, women's projects and literature. Although I could hardly sit with them, because my son interrupted the conversation whenever he could, my memory highlights Francesca as one of the most admirable women of feminist thought in Latin America in this century.
“Being a feminist for me fundamentally means defending life, defending the good life, defending the right to affection, the right to free expression, freedom of movement, the subsistence economy, the right to reduce the exploitation of the earth and its raw materials.” Francesca said.
Another of my most vivid memories of Francesca was at a meeting-conversation called “After #MeToo, what’s next?”, organized by the Master’s in Communication and Politics at the UAM in 2019, when we could still meet with our faces uncovered, hug each other and plant kisses on each other’s cheeks. It was a gift to see Francesca there, contributing her reflections, sharing ideas and weaving with all of us the hope of a different future for the women of Mexico and Latin America.
As a literary writer, Gargallo has published novels, science fiction, poetry and short stories. She is a pioneer of ideas on Latin American and Mexican feminism, on aesthetics and literary criticism, as well as visual arts. She has also worked as an editor, journalist and translator.
His most notable texts are: “The art embroiderers” (2020) (you can read it by clicking here); “The Strangers on the Ground Floor” (2015), “As the Days Go By” (2013), “Dry March” (1999), “The Captain’s Decision” (1997), “The Fishermen of Kukulkan” (1995) and “Being in the World” (1994).
Today, March 3, 2022, Francesca left us too soon after losing her battle with cancer, leaving all of us who were fortunate enough to know her with broken hearts.
It's bedtime and I put that naughty boy to bed who wouldn't let me chat with my mother's dear friend. I take a book by Francesca that we like a lot and start reading: “Once upon a time there was a laughing and crazy coyote…”
You left us early, Francesca, but you left us your lyrics and ideas. And most importantly: “When their culture does not prevent it, women listen to each other and pass the word on, in a temascalli, in the struggle for Independence, in community organizations”, your example of feminist social construction, your legacy and your drive for a more just world. Thank you.
Farewell, dear Francesca.
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