This is a creative project made in collaboration with SIN FRONTERAS - LAWRS, a group of young Latin American migrant women living in London. During a series of carefully planned workshops we explored their ideas regarding activism, feminism, diversity and their experiences as young migrant women using art as a form of expression. The end result is the animated video "We are Sin Fronteras standing for the rights of all women and girls". This video brings together their feminist manifesto, celebrates their Latin American roots, highlights their sisterhood and resilience, and invites to defend through activism, the rights of ALL women and girls.
Through discussion, writing, collage and drawing exercises the participants created their group feminist manifesto.  The resulting visual and audio material from these sessions provided us with key material created by the girls themselves which later was used in the animation production process.
Who are Sin Fronteras?
Sin Fronteras is part of LAWRS, the Latin American Women Rights Service, a human rights, feminist organisation run by and for Latin American migrant women living in the UK. 
Sin Fronteras supports young Latin American women aged between 14 to 21 years old living in London, by offering a safe space to develop friendship, creativity, self-esteem and celebrate diversity. All participants are empowered to express themselves, develop their potential, improve their critical thinking and engage in social change.
During a program of 7 weekly workshops where we met online whilst having to adapt to covid restrictions, we explored the subjects of activism and feminism in depth. 
Conceptually our goal was to devise a manifesto of activism that came from the heart of the group and on a practical level our aim was to build creative material to compile into an animated video that would communicate the message.
We talked about art as a form of activism that evokes sensitivity, emotions and empathy. During each session throughout their discussions, the group members worked by making collages, drawings, and written responses to all of their ideas. We watched videos, listened to talks, looked at artwork examples, listened to songs and other forms of expression in order to get the conversation going. We discussed how activism was evident in these examples and specifically focused on how it can play an important role when campaigning for women's rights.
A key principle was to focus on the importance of diversity within the subject of feminism, reflecting on how female inequality is experienced differently depending on many factors including race, gender identity, class and geographical location and to discuss that there is not one right way to be a feminist, rather a different view and focus depending on our own context and life experiences.
During our discussions we posed questions such as: How do you personally understand feminism? Why is it important to talk about feminism? and What would your message be to other young women? and in what ways do you imagine a better future? The group were determined to continue questioning the ideas we all have regarding gender roles that are deeply ingrained in our society. In light of this we looked at the ways we can and have been challenging such roles and expectations within our daily lives.
This is the message the group devised. It forms a part of their contribution as members of the new generation of Latin American activists who have given fresh life to the feminist movement worldwide.
 
Special thanks go to Sin Fronteras and LAWRS for the commissioning of this project and to The Paul Hamlyn foundation for their generous funding and support.

Thanks also go to the group members: Allison Hz, Ángeles Valencia Ávila, Andrea, Aymara Alcalde, Dayana, Leslie, Lesdy  Vanessa, Mery P, Natalia Tamargo, Paula Lucia Saez, Sarah Arcila Z, V and other group members who wished to remain anonymous and to Melissa Munz for their work, determination and commitment throughout.​​​​​​​
To learn more about Sin Fronteras and LAWRS visit them at ​​​​​​​
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