Empowering girls to become strong women: Role models from history
History is also “herstory.” For eons, women – far from being the “weaker sex” – have made significant contributions to the world. Overcoming obstacles, women have made the world better. The leadership, creativity, and strength of these women has affected every area of life. Their stories of resilience, intelligence, and determination inspire many and serve as role models for the young women at Casa de Sueños.
Casa de Sueños is Medellin’s premier foundation for poor children and abused young women. We provide counseling, education, food, social activities, support for families, fellowship, and the foundations of a lifelong faith.
The girls at Casa de Sueños are empowered to become strong Colombian women and do great things for the world, just like these women before them.
Strong Colombian Women
A Brave Defender of the Homeland: Cacica Gaitana
Women have always been brave.
Four hundred years ago, a 16th-century cacica, “woman chief” named Cacica Gaitana, fought to defend her homeland. Leader of a group of Yalcón, an indigenous tribe, Gaitana led the people of the Upper Magdalena River Valley in Colombia in armed resistance against Spanish colonization. After the Spanish executed her son by burning him alive and making her watch, Gaitana led twelve thousand warriors against the Spanish. Her efforts delayed the conquest of Colombia for decades.
Gaitana was a model of bravery and a fearless defender of her homeland.
Fighter of Slavery: Polonia
Freedom matters. No matter what era. Being free mattered to a woman named Polonia.
Polonia was a “palenquera,” a descendant of enslaved Africans who inhabited the North coast of Colombia and established territories known as “palenques.”
In 1581, Polonia, a free black woman, led an army of 150 people to defeat a Spanish conquistador named Pedro Ordóñez Ceballos during the times of slavery. Her army was captured, and legend says that she negotiated with the conquistador, giving him land to free her army. Sadly, Polonia was tricked, but she is credited with being the first Colombian woman of African descent to lead a resistance movement.
A strong Colombian woman to be sure!
A Spy Who Gave Her Life for Colombian Independence: Policarpa Salavarietta
Affectionately referred to as “La Pola,” Policarpa Salavarrieta is remembered as a hero of the Colombian independence movement. When the war broke out between the Spanish Royalists and the Revolutionary Forces, Salavarrieta’s family allied with the Revolutionary Forces.
In 1817, “La Pola” moved to Santa Fe de Bogotá where she spied on the inner operations of important royalists while she worked as a seamstress. Her identity was eventually discovered, and she was executed by a firing squad. Today, the anniversary of her death on November 14 is commemorated as the Day of the Colombian Women.
Female Farmer Fights for Her Land: Felicita Campos
When land is all you have…
After Colombia broke free from Spanish rule in 1819, the provincial government of what is now Sucre attempted to dispossess poor farmers of their land. Felicita Campos, a Black peasant farmer, stood her ground when officials came to steal her lands, reportedly using “witchcraft” to turn away officials and even military soldiers.
She organized fellow peasant farmers to resist large-scale landowners, sparking a land rights movement that spread throughout the province.
Equal Pay for Women: Betsabé Espinal, a Strong Colombian Woman
The fight for equal pay for equal work around the world is not new.
A Colombian woman named Betsabé Espinal was fighting for that in 1920. She is remembered for leading the first strike of female workers in 1920 when she was a 24-year-old textile worker.
After suffering many abuses from her bosses, Espinal galvanized 400 female textile workers to demand equal pay and an end to exploitative practices like sexual harassment and long workdays. The protest succeeded, and many of their demands were met.
Espinal was fired from her job in retaliation for her efforts to help women workers. However, her strike inspired similar protests in the following years and helped to further the cause of women in the workplace.
Musicians of Medellin: Teresita Gómez & Blanco Uribe
The great philosopher, Confucius, once said, “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” Two strong Colombian women have provided the world with much-needed pleasure. “
Born in Medellin, Colombia, Teresita Gómez began her piano training at the age of four and gave her first solo concert at ten. She studied with renowned pianists and received many accolades throughout her career. In 2005, the Colombian government awarded her the Cross of Orden de Boyacá for her contributions to musical culture. In 2017, she received the Juan del Corral Award for her musical contributions over sixty years.
Originally from Bogotá, Blanca Uribe grew up in a family of musicians. She debuted with the Colombian Symphony Orchestra at age eleven. She continued her training in the United States and Europe, receiving many prestigious honors. From 1969 to 2005, she was a professor at Vassar College and taught at prestigious institutions worldwide. Uribe’s influence extends to universities and conservatories in various countries where she has been recognized for her contributions to classical music.
The Gift of Art: Beatriz González
Born in Bucaramanga in 1932, Beatriz González emerged as a beacon of creativity during a time when women artists faced significant challenges. Her work reflects Colombian history, politics, and popular culture, in a unique blend of humor, critique, and social commentary. She’s an integral artist of the Pop Art movement. González’s art continues to inspire with her bold pronouncements on society.
The art of Beatriz González models what the girls at Casa de Sueños can be: Bold, colorful, and unafraid.
“Let us continue the work together and with others, toward the development of a better womanhood, a better manhood, and a better citizenship.” – Violet Richardson
Women Helping Other Women: Beatriz Fernandez
Beatriz Fernandez is the co-founder of Crepes and Waffles, one of Colombia’s most beloved restaurant chains. Founded in 1980 with her husband, Fernandez has grown the business into a renowned brand with locations across Latin America, Spain, and beyond.
Crepes and Waffles serves delicious food and institute progressive employment practices. The company focuses on hiring women, many who are single mothers or heads of households. Fernandez’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to social responsibility exemplify the impact of strong leadership and innovative business practices.
The Mission of Casa de Sueños: Empower Girls to be Strong Colombian Women
We empower girls to become strong Colombian women. Given a chance, young women can become defenders of freedom, labor leaders, fighters for basic rights, musicians, artists, and entrepreneurs.
It is the mission of Casa de Sueños to help young women succeed. They will enhance the future of families, communities, Medellin, Colombia, and the world.
Be part of our mission.
“I can promise you that women working together—linked, informed, and educated—can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken planet.”
– Isabel Allende