Every time March dawns, the figure of woman grows from the very depths of life's roots. Calendars capriciously mark the 8th as if honoring them could be expressed in a single day. Commercial and senseless delusions in a situation that should transcend the whims of a few who prioritize matters that have nothing to do with the true meaning of a mother's value and love.

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And beyond their role as mothers and homemakers, women have been able to transcend the basic boundaries determined by a patriarchal society.

 

Mexican mountaineer Elsa Ávila, for example, while just meters from conquering Mount Everest, began to suffer a severe case of hypoxia. Oxygen was no longer reaching her brain; her fingers went numb and her lips turned blue, eventually leading to cerebral edema. With the world's highest peak in sight, she decided to turn back. The mountain taught her that what matters is staying alive, learning, and returning. An example of maturity.

 

Panamanian maritime engineer Ilya Espino de Marotta, with her knee-high boots, hard hat, and pink vest, was almost the only woman to lead a monumental project like the Panama Canal. It wasn't by chance that she wore that color uniform, but rather a colorful statement that a woman can achieve anything she sets her mind to. Ilya became a voice for her gender, promoting mentorship programs for women and a bill to establish a quota for women on corporate boards.

 

Venezuelan pianist Teresa Carreño, Chilean singer-songwriter, painter, and sculptor Violeta Parra, Costa Rican singer Chavela Vargas, Peruvian singer-songwriter Chabuca Granda, Cuban singer Celia Cruz, Argentine singer Mercedes Sosa, and Brazilian composer Elis Regina, among others, have earned a prominent place in Latin American song. Their lyrics, full of magic and color, permeated the art form itself and celebrated women with poetry that transcended the boundaries of gender.

 

“Why do I need feet when I have wings to fly?” said Mexican artist Frida Kahlo back in 1953 when one of her legs was amputated. This phrase perfectly symbolizes the creative and emotional freedom of a woman with a willpower that surpasses all expectations, suggesting that despite physical limitations, the human spirit, imagination, and art allow us to overcome obstacles and achieve freedom.

 

The Uruguayan politician and social leader Julia Arévalo only completed the fourth grade of primary school; at the age of 10, she had to start working to help her family. She worked in a tobacco factory and experienced firsthand the hardships faced by workers. This experience exposed her to a different social reality, and she defended workers' rights until her final days.

 

Ecuadorian Indigenous leader Tránsito Amaguaña raised pigs and farmed the land until she was 100 years old. Her only income was a government pension, which she received only when her life was slowly fading away. She died at home surrounded by the immense respect of her community.

 

These are a few stories that speak of women in certain and limited aspects of a life that insists on making humanity believe that International Women's Day is celebrated only once a year.