Moved to action by tragic local events, a group of local Latinos will come together through Madison Public Library’s Library Takeover program to host “Red Heels: Steps Toward Justice,” on Saturday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m.-noon at the Madison Central Library. The event centers on the issue of domestic violence in the Latino community and on breaking cycles of trauma.
Gladys Viscarra, Malena Matos, and Dante Viscarra make up the “Library Takeover Team” who created this event. Both Gladys and Dante Viscarra have long been an integral part of La Comunidad News ONLINE, a digital newspaper serving Wisconsin’s Latino community. The Viscarras covered the story of Micaela Juárez Ocolt, a local Latina businesswoman who was murdered inside her store last April on the southwest side of Madison. Her husband was investigated as the main suspect of the murder, a phenomenon that is known as feminicidio in the LatinX community.
“We responded to a flood of calls and concerns from the Latino community following the coverage of Micaela’s case,” said Dante Viscarra in a statement. “We know this is a big issue within our community, and we want to help stop this from happening again. We need to bring domestic violence out of the shadows and start talking about it, as well as providing support for women in these situations. That’s the main reason we wanted to create this event.”
The conference will feature a keynote address by Dr. Lucía Melgar, a distinguished cultural critic and professor of literature and gender studies, whose extensive research on femicide and violence against women in Mexico has shaped discussions on gender-based violence both nationally and internationally, according to a press release from the City of Madison. “Red Heels: Steps Toward Justice” will also include support, information, and resources for those in need, provided by local agencies rooted in the Madison community.
The event is open to the public, and attendees are encouraged to wear red heels as a symbol of solidarity, remembrance, and commitment to justice. Registration is requested, and can be done online at madpl.org/redheels.
