Yucatan Women’s Essay Contest ‘Voices of Freedom’ Awards 111 Participants

Merida, Yucatan — The Yucatan State Women’s Secretariat (Semujeres) announced the winners of the first ‘Voices of Freedom’ essay contest, which drew 111 entries from women across 28 municipalities in the state and one Yucatecan living in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo.

First place went to Laura Rodriguez Portilla, an independent journalist specializing in gender narrative, for her essay ‘Pagado con vales de despensa’ (Paid with Grocery Vouchers), submitted under the pseudonym ‘Doricha Eliza.’ She received a prize of 25,000 pesos.

Semujeres head Sisely Burgos Cano said the high participation shows women’s interest in engaging in public discourse about their rights and freedoms. ‘The response of 111 women who decided to take the public word demonstrates that in Yucatan, reflection and writing are also acts of citizenship. We are not only awarding texts; we are celebrating 111 decisions of freedom,’ she said.

Second place and 20,000 pesos went to Kenia Jaqueline Duarte Carrillo, a lawyer and law professor from Uman, for her essay ‘Mujeres y cuidado. Una lucha persistente por la igualdad’ (Women and Care: A Persistent Struggle for Equality), under the pseudonym ‘UTaan.’

Third place, with a prize of 15,000 pesos, was awarded to Wendy Rosely Lee Calderon from Conkal, a reading and cultural identity promoter, for ‘La libertad que estamos construyendo’ (The Freedom We Are Building), under the pseudonym ‘Flor de Mayo del Mayab.’

An honorable mention went to Suemy Maria Pool Cima, a 28-year-old mother from Kanasin, for an untitled essay submitted under the pseudonym ‘MarYsol.’

The contest drew participants from Merida, Tixpehual, Teabo, Uman, Kanasin, Dzan, Valladolid, Conkal, Tixkokob, Izamal, Tecoh, Ixil, Tekax, Sotuta, Progreso, Chochola, Kinchil, Hunucma, Motul, Muna, Peto, Temozon, Espita, Acanceh, Tizimin, Oxkutzcab, Mococha, and Tahdzibichen, plus the Yucatecan living in Quintana Roo.

The judging panel, which included Judith Ortega Canto, Jimena Guadalupe de los Santos Alamilla, Marbella Casanova Calam, Alicia Beatriz Canto Alcocer, Josue Israel Sosa Camara, and Miguel II Hernandez Madero, evaluated entries through a double-blind process, focusing on argumentative strength, literary quality, and contribution to public discussion on women’s rights.

‘The essays received constitute a valuable collection for understanding the concerns, proposals, and perspectives of contemporary Yucatecan women,’ said a panel representative.

The awards ceremony is scheduled for May 30, when winners will receive their prizes and certificates. A digital memory titled ‘Voices of Freedom’ will be published afterward, featuring the winning and finalist works for free public access.