Casa de la Cultura Set to Host First Women's Conference Since 1986

Organizers hold planning meeting for the upcoming IWD Women's Conference.

In honor of International Women’s Month in March and International Women’s Day on the 8th, committee members are gearing up to host Del Rio’s second International Women’s Day Women’s Conference, paying homage to the first conference held in 1986. 

The international women’s conference will be a two-day event, held at the Casa de la Cultura from 9am-3pm on March 22nd & 23rd. It is a free event, open to the entire community, with no registration required. All genders are welcome and childcare will be provided for no charge. They are actively still seeking volunteers and sponsors, organizers shared with us. Current sponsors include The Collexn, La Hacienda Meat Market, Valdez “Poncho’s” Grocery, La Familias Unidas, Eddie Morales State Representative, and more. “We will be providing information and resources for local organizations and businesses,” organizer Axochitzin “Xochitl” Abrego began. “We will also be highlighting our many female owned businesses in town.” 

“This conference is about educating our community, but most importantly the women in our community,” Abrego told us. The conference will begin with a spiritual opening ceremony, with sessions to follow. Discussions will be split among the two conference days, with the discussions including current issues, information, and resources on topics like health, women’s literature and art, home, wealth and financial literacy, LGBTQ+ and trans women’s rights, border and immigration rights, self-defense, and domestic violence. 

Participants will be able to choose a category that feels appropriate for them, then there will be a brief luncheon, outdoor activities, and platica, of course. “We would like women in our community to feel like they have a voice and feel empowered,” she emphasized. “To know that there are resources and a community behind them and all those around us.” 

“We are strong and resilient, we can continue together to strengthen, heal, and educate our communities,” Abrego continued. 

When asked about the significance of honoring the first IWD Women’s Conference in 1986, Abrego told us, “We knew we wanted to commemorate the fact that it’s been nearly 40 years since the first conference here in Del Rio, but I think we also knew there was an aspect of healing that has been needed in our community. When we came together to look back and discuss our history and reflect on one of the original copies of the first IWDC books and poster, we noticed that the topics discussed in that first 1986 conference were shockingly similar to the things affecting our community and country today. From that moment it became obvious that we needed to remind our community that we have a voice, we have resources, and we have support to guide us along our journey through life.” 

Abrego and the rest of the organizers hope that the community remembers that, “these topics may not affect you directly but could also be a needed resource to help, educate, and inform someone you love, family, friends, neighbors, and even our children.”