Luisa Gómez de la Torre Paez

María Luisa Gómez de la Torre Páez (b. 28 May 1887 – d. 1976) was an Ecuadorian feminist, educator, and activist. She was a pioneer in the struggle for the rights of the indigenous peoples and peasants in Ecuador.[1][2][3][4] She was the first woman to serve as a teacher for boys in Quito.[5]

Luisa Gómez de la Torre Paez
Born
María Luisa Gómez de la Torre Páez

May 28, 1887
Died1976
Quito
Nationality Ecuador
CitizenshipEcuadorian
Occupation(s)Feminist, educator
Political partyCommunist Party of Ecuador
Parents
  • Joaquín Gómez de la Torre Álvarez (father)
  • Francisca Páez Rodríguez (mother)

Biography

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Luisa Gómez de la Torre Paez was born on 28 May 1887 to parents Joaquín Gómez de la Torre Álvarez and Francisca Páez Rodríguez. In 1944, she participated in the creation of the first indigenous peoples' rights organization, called the Ecuadorian Federation of Indians (FEI).[5] She also worked with the Indigenista Dolores Cacuango to found bilingual (Quecha and Spanish) schools to bring literacy to the indigenous peasantry in the countryside.[6][7]

In the political arena, de la Torre is considered one of the pioneers of the political left in Ecuador along with Guayaquileñas Aurora López, Isabel Herrera, Ana Moreno and Quiteñas Nela Martínez and Laura Almeida.[8] With these connections, she participated in the 1926 founding of the Socialist Party of Ecuador.[9] Four years later, de la Torre formed the Club of Professors of Mejía. In 1937 she, with other colleagues, founded the Syndicate of Professors of Mejía and in 1946 expanded this into the Ecuadorian Teachers' Union.[2]

De la Torre was one of the founding members (with Virginia Larenas, Raquel Verdesoto, Matilde Hidalgo and Nela Martínez) of the Ecuadorian Women's Alliance in 1938.[1]

Citations

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  1. ^ a b Goetschel 2007, p. 328.
  2. ^ a b Dictionary of Ecuadorian Biography.
  3. ^ Becker 2003, p. 348.
  4. ^ Radcliffe 2009, p. 437.
  5. ^ a b Becker & Tutilo 2009, p. 262.
  6. ^ Tuaza C. 2010, p. 562.
  7. ^ Clark 2012, p. 320.
  8. ^ Śniadecka-Kotarska 2006, p. 202.
  9. ^ Goetschel 2006, p. Estudio introductorio.

References

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Spanish books

  • Becker, Marc; Tutilo, Silvia (2009). Historia agraria y social de Cayambe. Flacso-Sede Ecuador. ISBN 978-997-867-214-3.
  • Burbano de Lara, Felipe (2010). "Concepciones del Estado y demandas de las organizaciones campesinas e indígenas (1940-1960)". In Tuaza C., Luis Alberto (ed.). Transiciones y rupturas: El Ecuador en la segunda mitad del siglo XX. Flacso-Sede Ecuador. ISBN 978-997-867-263-1.
  • Goetschel, Ana María (2006). "Estudio introductorio". In Goetschel, Ana María (ed.). Orígenes del feminismo en el Ecuador. Antología. Flacso-Ecuador, CONAMU, MDMQ, UNIFEM. ISBN 9978-67-115-3.
  • Goetschel, Ana María (2007). Educación de las mujeres, maestras y esferas públicas: Quito en la primera mitad del siglo XX. Editorial Abya Yala. ISBN 978-994-267-136-3.
  • Śniadecka-Kotarska, Magdalena (2006). Ser mujer en Ecuador. University of Warsaw, Centro de Estudios Latinoamericanos (CESLA).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)

English sources

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  • Pérez, Rodolfo. "LUISA GOMEZ DE LA TORRE PAEZ". diccionariobiograficoecuador.com (in Spanish). Dictionary of Ecuadorian Biographies. Retrieved 23 August 2013.