Getting to Know Valeria, July 19 - Shelley's thoughts

Today (July 19) was all about getting to know Valeria and some of the work she does in Curitiba.  Imagine femininity; add a huge smile, a polished presence and loving softness.  And add to that an enormous giving heart.  Finally pile in a lot of conscious advocacy with a force you may not recognize until it right upon you.  I grew to admire her very quickly.  She is a lawyer who advocates for women’s rights, particularly in the area of health insurance. Valeria took us to the Parana Legislative Assembly for the morning.  We were given a tour, but with Valeria, it was not only a tour of the site, but also a tour of who she is and what she does.

As we stood in the Assembly Hall looking at the seats that would be filled with 54 representatives, 50 men and 4 women, Valeria told me the story of her fight for the right of mammography at the age of 35 for women at risk of breast cancer.  Three years ago, legislation that would establish this right had been proposed, passed and then cut by the Governor.  The Legislative Assembly had the power to overturn the Governor’s veto.  On the day of the vote, Valeria took 30 women, dressed in black, to the Assembly.  She had 20 of these women sit in the balcony and placed the other 10, many wearing head scarfs, around the Assembly Hall.

Somehow, behind the scenes, Valeria had asked that the microphones at each voting representative’s seat be cut off.  As the representatives tried to speak and could not be heard, Valeria had her microphone turned on and spoke as an advocate for passage of the law.  Then she passed the microphone around the room to the 10 women and had each of them tell their story.  One story was of a woman who had been diagnosed at a late stage of breast cancer and may not have had to have the treatment she was in if she had had the advantage of early diagnosis.  Another story was of a woman whose mother had died of breast cancer and would likely not have if she had had the advantage of a mammogram at an earlier age.  And on and on, with each woman in treatment taking off her scarf to reveal a bald head.  Powerful, right?  The legislation passed.


The action of cutting off voices felt like a symbol of the voices of women that are often cut off where they most need to be heard.  As Valeria told the story, she drew close to tears and I did too.  It was such a powerful statement in the importance of advocacy for those who cannot advocate for themselves.  And, of one woman who takes on this challenge of advocacy.