#the organization itself isn't a radfem org but it's feminist and women centered

[femmesandhoney]

Aliza Frame wrote the following passage about Casa Amiga, a feminist organization in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico

Every day . . . people share their food and bring enough for other people to eat. Some days people cook for everyone, and other days people just bring bits and pieces that multiply into enough to feed the entire crew. It’s a bit like the story of the loaves of bread and the fish when Jesus preaches to 5,000. I rarely see people walk in with food, but somehow when mealtime comes around, people pull out dishes from home of rice or frijoles charros . . . or roasted chicken. The first day I worked, Eva shared her chicken with me. Carmen brings me pomegranates from the tree in her yard. . . . Every day I come in unprepared to get through the day without starving. . . . But these women take care of each other, and they take care of me, too. When you walk into the dining room, people get up and get you a chair, ask if you want tortillas or salsa or half of the food on their plates. I feel respected and important to them, but why? When I started working at Casa Amiga, I didn’t expect people to offer me free food or even notice if I ate or not. . . . In previous jobs in the U.S., I’ve been mostly expected to fend for myself. . . . Even last summer when I worked at a community center where the people were all very respectful and sweet, if I didn’t bring lunch, I had to go out and buy something. No one thought to bring food for other people or eat potluck-style. So at Casa Amiga the routine surprised me, and I felt guilty until recently about eating their food; [butnow] I have stopped feeling guilty and started participating in the lunchtime ritual of everyone bringing something small to share. . . . So now I feel like part of a community of women who respect each other, and it makes me feel so content and secure. Isn’t that funny? A little thing like sharing lunch can bring women together, empower them individually and as a group, and build real commitment between them. . . . This atmosphere is very different from the one I’m used to in the U.S.

Feminist Community Building in Ciudad Juárez by Joanna Swanger