Promoting peace: colectivas, art, and cultural injustice in Mexico

ABSTRACTThis collaborative research delves into intercultural (in)justice, dignity, and the recognition of non-hegemonic knowledge. Its main objective is to investigate marginalised knowledge in immigration, gender violence, adultism, and minority groups, including indigenous communities. By diving into the significance of informal knowledge-sharing settings this research underscores how vulnerable individuals and collectives showcase their identity holistically. Lastly drawing attention to the importance of fostering safe spaces, interculturality and sharing cognitive practice to counter marginalisation, promoting reconstruction through tools such as hospitality, active listening, and assertive communication.Esta investigación colaborativa profundiza en la (in)justicia intercultural, la dignidad y el reconocimiento del conocimiento no hegemónico. Su principal objetivo es investigar el conocimiento marginado en la inmigración, la violencia de género, el adultismo y los grupos minoritarios, incluidas las comunidades indígenas. Al profundizar en la importancia de los entornos informales de intercambio de conocimientos, esta investigación subraya cómo los individuos y colectivos vulnerables muestran su identidad de forma holística. Por último, llama la atención sobre la importancia de fomentar espacios seguros, la interculturalidad y el intercambio de prácticas cognitivas para contrarrestar la marginación, promoviendo la reconstrucción a través de herramientas como la hospitalidad, la escucha activa y la comunicación asertiva.KEYWORDS: Cultureepistemic injusticemarginalised knowledgeinterculturalityactive listening Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by University of Glasgow CUSP N+1.Notes on contributorsCarlos Eduardo Arias GalindoCarlos Eduardo Arias Galindo is a marine biologist and student of the master's degree in philosophy and public communication of science at the National Autonomous University of Mexico(UNAM). He has worked for six years at IBBY México -Leer nos Incluye a Todos I.A.P., where he has collaborated in the development and design of intercultural and inclusive projects based on the IBBY México reading mediation methodology for children and youth. He is currently an associate student at the Institute for Philosophical Research (UNAM) on issues of knowledge appropriation and cognitive metaphors.Manuela Cantú MendívilManuela Cantú Mendívil is a Mexican educational assistant and cultural promoter who serves as a reading mediator through UAM (Autonomous Metropolitan University). She holds a diploma in Childhood Rights from the University of Valencia, Spain. Also, she is the founding director of ‘¿Jugamos a leer?' and serves as a facilitator for the ‘Children in Crisis' program in collaboration with Reforma USA, with support from San Diego Libros. Among the other initiatives she has created are ‘Siembra de Libros', ‘Lectura bajo los árboles', ‘Liberando Palabras', ‘Todas tenemos algo que contar', ‘Sana, sana colita de rana', and ‘Taller de lectura y escritura creativa para NNA jugamos a leer' (Creative Reading and Writing Workshop for Children at ¿Jugamos a leer?). Furthermore, Manuela is involved in ‘Bitácoras Migrantes, lecturas que migran’ (Migrant Notebooks, Migrating Readings) and served as a UN Ambassador in 2017. She is the founder of the World Play Day in Tijuana and co-authored the Binational Women's Anthology New York-Tijuana in 2019.Andrea Fernández SevillaAndrea Fernaacute;ndez Sevilla is a visual artist, holding a degree in Fine Arts from Buap. Her work has been exhibited in Mexico City, Puebla, and Veracruz. Over the past 7 years, her interest in textile techniques and the identity of indigenous communities has led her to immerse herself in various communities across multiple Mexican states. There, she captures, researches, and collaborates on community projects. Her work touches on topics related to ethnobotany, social struggles, female body identities, and community processes. She employs photography, visual arts, community filmmaking, animation, and textiles to explore these themes. From 2018 to the present, she has conducted approximately 30 workshops in Puebla, Mexico City, Veracruz, and Chiapas. These workshops aim to provide teaching proposals focused on the dissemination and learning of embroidery, combining textiles with bodily expression, illustration, and photography.Marxitania Flores OrtegaMarxitania Flores Ortega is a writer and community project coordinator. She has undertaken community development projects aimed at working with children, adolescents, and women in vulnerable communities in the states of Guerrero, Hidalgo, Michoacán, and CDMX. Also, she has specialized in linking literature and writing in the facilitation of individual and collective psycho-emotional processes. She is the author of the novel ‘Guerra de guerrillas' (Jus, 2014), the short story collection ‘Luz brillante' (Bitácora de vuelos ediciones, 2022), for which she won the V International Bitácora de Vuelos Prize, the poetry book ‘Carta Natal' (Acapulco Literature Prize 2022), and the children's short story book ‘Cuentos para leer en autobús’ (UANL, 2022).Rocío Elizabeth Muñoz SantamaríaRocío Elizabeth Muñoz Santamaría has a degree in Economics from Universidad Panamericana. Her work experience is mainly focused on fundraising, sustainability, public policy, behavioral economics, human rights, anti-punitiveness and children in vulnerability. In the CUSP project she developed as co-coordinator with the different collectives working with people in vulnerability such as children, women, indigenous communities and migrants. She was also responsible for workshops on research methods, monitoring and development of programs with a gender and human rights approach. She participated in the CUSP Safeguarding Mooc. Lastly, she is part of the research community developed with the collectives as a result of the cusp project that developed the present article.Pedro Pico BirzuelaPedro Pico Brizuela graduated from the Center for Art Education (CEDART) ‘Miguel Cabrera’ in the city of Oaxaca de Juaacute;rez as part of the 2004–2006 generation, specializing in fine arts. He holds a Bachelor's degree in furniture restoration from the School of Conservation and Restoration of the West (ECRO) in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, from the 2007–2012 generation. As a member of the A.C. Estación Cultural Tapachula, he actively promotes the exercise of cultural rights. He is passionate about preserving cultural heritage and researching it as a subject of study, including processes of heritage designation and the activation of strategic public spaces through collaborative community approaches. Additionally, he has a fondness for drawing and coordinates two voluntary initiatives: ‘Cine triciclo ambulante' (Mobile Tricycle Cinema) and ‘Leyendo y Pedaleando entre Pelis y Libros’ (Reading and Pedaling Among Films and Books).Brenda Denisse Renteria CervantesBrenda Denisse Renteria Cervantes is a Master's degree holder in Diversity and Inclusive Education, with a Bachelor's degree in Law and a specialization in the rights of children, adolescents, and gender-based violence. She is also a graduate in juvenile justice, gender studies, peace education, human rights, and restorative justice. She serves as a facilitator for restorative processes and peace circles and holds the role of project coordinator at Colectivo Algaraza. Additionally, she volunteers at the National Observatory on Arbitrary Detentions. Her extensive experience includes coordinating projects in critical contexts of social exclusion and marginalization, as well as in confined settings such as prisons in the state of Morelos and in situations of forced displacement.Diego Suárez BallezaDiego Suaacute;rez Balleza has received training through courses and seminars in literary creation with Yolanda de la Torre, analog photography with Andrés Garay, and film analysis at CCC and Cinefilias. He also completed a stop-motion course at Graco Animation Training. Since 2009, he has been collaborating with La Matatena AC, leading animation workshops with a focus on children's rights and active creation. He has served as a facilitator for workshops on Optical Games, Frame-by-Frame Animation, and the “Fábrica de Sueños” (Dream Factory) events. Starting in 2018, he has been responsible for the Cinematic Appreciation workshop and has provided training in film club activities for teachers, after working with peripheral film clubs. He also contributes as a consecutive interpreter, live dubbing actor, and coordinator of the Children's Jury at the International Children's Film Festival. His exploration of vocal expression began in 2012 when he became a student of Hebe Rosell. Over two years, she introduced him to voice practice from the perspective of self-awareness and the other, within a group setting that combined elements of the Roy Hart technique with Tojolabal vision. Following this experience, he embarked on a journey to develop vocal skills rooted not so much in musical education but in somatics and orality.