2020
Alejandra (Ale) Teleguario
- Age: 23
- | She/her/hers
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As young people, we have the power to change our reality with empathy, diversity, solidarity and social justice.
- Alejandra (Ale) Teleguario
Bio
Alejandra (Ale) Teleguario is a feminist activist from Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. She is an English and pre-school teacher, a researcher on gender and local development, and a student of International Relations at Universidad Rafael Landívar. She is a counselor on family planning and contraceptive methods for adolescents and youth; facilitator on Comprehensive Sexuality Education, women’s rights, political participation, and others. She started her activism when she was 13 years old as Mayor of Children and Adolescents of Quetzaltenango. Since then, Alejandra has promoted campaigns, workshops, research, networks and other projects for making visible children, adolescents, youth and women rights. Additionally, Ale is President of Jóvenes Artistas por la Justicia Social (JAxJS ONG), co-founder of BeRadFem Xela, Ambassador of Quetzaltenango of Fundación Oxlajuj N’oj, volunteer of GOJoven Guatemala. She is looking to continue developing different community activities from a feminist perspective and coordinate with allied groups to raise awareness to different stakeholders about the importance of the SRHR of vulnerable populations.
What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?
When I was 13 years old, I started to get involved in civil society organizations and community networks with a focus on human rights. Thanks to the tools and ideas that I acquired through collective processes with other young people, I realized that many women in my context (including classmates and close friends) were victims of violence and discriminated in different aspects, including including the inability to access comprehensive care services. Support between women was the main reason why I decided to recognize myself as a feminist and fight for the elimination of gender-based violence, including the promotion of sexual and reproductive rights as a basis for a dignified life.
Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.
By starting to be an activist from a very young age and implementing participation spaces that have arisen from the needs that girls and women from my city have, I have been recognized for Municipal authorities from Quetzaltenango as Distinguished Citizen on 2018 and Women of the Year on 2022, being something historical to be the only young woman to receive these awards. Also, with my friends cofounded BeRadFem Xela, the first feminist collective in Quetzaltenango led by diverse adolescent and young women activating in favor of comprehensive sexuality education, access to contraceptive methods, safe abortion and prevention of gender violence.
Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?
I enjoy art as a way to free my thoughts, when I have some free time I write poems or articles on topics that catch my attention. I also do crafts and jewelry. I love traveling and exploring places in Guatemala and the world, as well as going out dancing and cooking different dishes.
Languages Spoken:
- English (Advanced/Native)
- Spanish (Advanced/Native)
- K'iche' (Elementary)
- Spanish (Advanced/Native)
Publications:
Speaks On:
- feminism for community development
- comprehensive sexuality education and access to contraception for adolescents and youth
- multidisciplinary alliances for SRHR
