DESCRIPTION:
The Story of Lupe Fernández

Zacatecas, Zac./ Chicago, IL, February 2017

A binational group of researchers, social activists, professional musicians and producers got together to discuss and write songs to prevent different forms of violence against women and make this issue more visible.
For the first stage of the workshop, we used the structure of the traditional Mexican Corrido.
This musical genre, an epic tale of everyday life, historical facts of the Revolution or even wayward bootleggers is mainly produced with a sexist and machismo lyrics while being played in highly masculine spaces.
In this particular project we are looking to use the Corrido song as a tool to create social awareness over the different forms of violence that women endure.
The song becomes an undercover agent of violence prevention in a tough men environment.

The statistics shows that in Zacatecas, a State in Northern Mexico where the workshop is being conducted, 48% of women have been victims of violence from their partner at some point in their life.
Since 2013, 29 women have been femicide* victims in the State of Zacatecas only.

From a community center of the State capital, we started the discussion through the process of composing and writing about gender stereotypes that reproduce or induce different forms of violence against women.
Our multidisciplinary team got deeper every day into the creative process...

So was born the first Mexican Northern Corrido with a gender perspective: The Story of Lupe Fernández

*Femicide or feminicide is a sex-based hate crime term, broadly defined as the killing of women but definitions vary depending on the cultural context.

The Story of Lupe Fernández

First band: (in the children playground)
José Manuel Martínez Guerra, vocals, guitar
Juan Paolo Guerra Loera, background vocals
Carlos Alejandro Castañón Domínguez, lead guitar

For second stage of the workshop and to move it into a real life social laboratory, we gave the song to traditional street performers so they can appropriate it, and play it as part of their repertoire.

Second Band: (in the cantina)
Ronco López, vocals, 12 string guitar
Noé Palomino, bajoquinto

This song is dedicated to the memory of Claudia K, Ninon and all the women that fell victim of femicide.

Gilles Aniorte Tomassian, Producer
Martha M. López Ramos, Researcher on violence against women
Cesar Eduardo Gutiérrez Rojas, General coordinator

Project supported by Community Arts Exchange 
(Chicago, IL.) / Lunas De Hipatia (Zacatecas, Zac.)

We'd like to thanks all the friends that made this project possible and the people at Cantina El Retiro for their support and patience