In Dominican Republic (DR) stood three
Incredible souls … died forcibly by a dictator?
Lets ask question then proceed with answers
“How did the Maribal’s sisters influenced
… the women’s movement?
Who were the Maribal sisters?
Three sisters murdered by the dictator of DR Rafael Trujillo … because of their activism
All three were assassinated November 25, 1960
The awakening of the Women’s Liberation
Emerged late 1960’s .. 1963 and 1970 stretched
As in 1966 Betty Friedan’s book …
The Feminine Mystique …
Where National Organization for Women
Known as NOW (NOW)
Awoke the consciousness to be free …
Women of the world followed by this realism
Minerva, for her increased interest in the …
Political system became a threat as Trujillo
Had taken a love interest in her
she refused then slapped him
The other two sisters Patria and Maria Teresa
Fought and refused to give in to the dictatorship
And for their beliefs were tortured and sacrificed
Alive! They aimed to call themselves …
Las Mariposas, the butterflies
An underground name
In secrecy they strived
It was … Minerva
The braver of them
Las Mariposas by name, they became …
Credit goes to Salma Hayek … in the movies
For portraying Minerva based on Julia Alvarez Novel, where these women became symbolic
They turning themselves …
From simple unknown women
To the foundation of fighting a tyrant
They became known as “Las Mariposas”
The butterflies … With two lives like a caterpillar
Dead now alive …Today, and always will be Renamed three sisters died but, are more alive today than that of yesterday’s …
It should be known …
With the movement by their three husband’s
Called “14 June Movement” nicknamed 1J4
In Puerto Plata engraved, are their names
Patria hid weapons in her home …
To fight the Trujillo regimen …
A regime of endless wars with its women
Yea, today the Marbal’s sisters
One’s of DR iconic heroines …
Yea, iconic heroines! The start of women’s movement … Minerva had no fear …
Wanted to be an attorney to free its people
At the end she died like a true hero
Not in the Greek Mythology
In real life died aiming for freedom
La libertad … y amor puro, pure love
They rest today at the mausoleum
An extension of National Pantheon
Their death was not for nothing …
To the Dominicans, they seen as hero’s
They symbolized Dominican liberty
They served as proof that once’s lived
Three beautiful women souls’ who taught
… and died for freedom for their full beliefs
Being tortured by Trujillo regime they remained Symbols for woman’s power of popular
And feminist resistance … November 25, 1960
A date to remember not to-be forgotten
The UN General Assembly inked to remained
The date of 11/25, be forever remembered!
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women all over the world …
How were they murdered?
Upon arriving from visiting their jailed husbands’
Dictator Trujillo send his men to ambush them
First killing their driver, then they were strangled
Making sure they died tragically
They were beaten with clubs
Pushed off a cliff …
As to pretend an accident occurred
Like Jesus Christ!
They suffered … In the name of freedom
Minerva, will always stand out
Along her two sisters
I must say and state
Why the innocents
Get all the blame?
They tend not to fight but, smile
Why is that it takes death …
To awake man’s consciousness?
Let’s mention Eric Garden dying by police arms
And chokehold … neck and chest compressed
George Perry Floyd died …
In Minneapolis, Minnesota
By four police officers
By asphyxiation …
His last words
“I can’t breathe!”
Know, we all deserve free air
It doesn’t cost a thing …
For Mr. Floyd, it caused his life …
Daphy Michel, a Haitian woman
Seeking political asylum
Died in the hands of ICE?
Why may I say?
Because after …
Released from prison
Hyperthermia kicked in!
Seeking warmer environment …
She found refuge on a bus terminal …
In Pittsburgh, she left her cries as a frozen flesh
No one heard her last words as she passed on!
America, wake up …
Since when have we become
A country of hate …
They are all searching
For the American Dream …
Just like all immigrants do
Give them a hand …
Not a baton of hate!
Do not place hate in your heart as Satan!
Do not kill them … give instead, a bottle of water
Listen to their voices of Americans
Who still have love …
Know …
They are all free
Just like …
You and me
I like to end with three friends. They are all … In heaven, I had to pause! All saints their Sacrifices were that of the greatest
They needed no friends on planet Earth
It was God himself …
Recognizing these pure souls
On their heads are crowns
Made out of the most unusual elements
Not found from this Earth
Minerva, Maria Teresa and Patria
Are in God’s possession
Every November 25th
God plans His time
With three women’s
They take the lead after Him
Their love, being one of greatest
Their sacrifices were endless
Until this day, not a day …
Goes by without paying homage to
To three women’s soldiers …
Who by its history
Through motherhood
Took DR as their fight
Now in Heaven, they all are
November 25 … Let it be known
That once lived three sisters in DR
That fought super hard
… for democracy
They are not dead
They are move alive today
Then that of all of yesterday
Let it be known …
That is worthy of notification
To bless these three women
For all women of the past and
Who are still present in our days
Trujillo was killed
Upon Dominicans
Hearing of the dead of the three sisters
Known as simply “The Butterflies”
I get butterflies in my stomach …
To learn and keep them nice and clean
Let’s not dirty them but, visit their graves
They all left this Earth clean …
With the greatest of sacrifice
Freedom, loyalties for its people
Dominicans all have a hero in Heaven
The most sacred of places is DR by name
Let me raise my right hand for the USA
A daughter of America … Where I left my home
Is the USA I protect and die for …
Even if I have to crack all of my bones
Let’s remember November 25
For all the women’s violence
Of the days … cry with them
Never let ugly bad creature’s grab your peace
Toss aside their revenge
Take it to the cemetery as hate
Dig the deepest whole …
Now take hate and bury hate
Toss out the shovel …
Before you walk away with hate
Throw all the dirt on it …
Now pray, no men will take up the dead
Wake up love …
Then walk away
Now place your right hand across your heart
Hear it as its best, it’s pumping all its blood
Grab all the love now, spread the new seeds of Love. Don’t forget to water it often
Before it goes dry …
Pick up love dismiss all the hate
Minerva A. Garcia, your Poet