Library Takeover Team Plans Event to Shed Light on Domestic Violence within the LatinX Community

MADISON, WI – Moved to action by tragic local events, a group of local Latinos has come together through Madison Public Library’s Library Takeover program to host a critical event called Red Heels: Steps Toward Justice, on Saturday, September 14 from 10am - 12pm at Central Library. The event centers on the issue of domestic violence in the Latino community and on breaking cycles of trauma.

Gladys Viscarra, Malena Matos, and Dante Viscarra make up the Library Takeover team who created this event, and both Gladys and Dante are part of La Comunidad News ONLINE, a digital newspaper serving Wisconsin’s LatinX community. In their respective roles as Broadcast Journalist and Publisher of the newspaper, they helped cover the story of Micaela Juárez Ocolt, a local Latina businesswoman who was murdered inside her store last April on the southwest side of Madison. Her husband was investigated as the main suspect of the murder, a phenomenon that is known as feminicidio in the LatinX community.

“We responded to a flood of calls and concerns from the Latino community following the coverage of Micaela’s case,” said Dante. “We know this is a big issue within our community, and we want to help stop this from happening again. We need to bring domestic violence out of the shadows and start talking about it, as well as providing support for women in these situations. That’s the main reason we wanted to create this event.”

Image credit: Magali Bermudez

The conference will feature an impactful keynote address by Dra. Lucía Melgar, a distinguished cultural critic and professor of Literature and Gender Studies, whose extensive research on feminicide and violence against women in Mexico has shaped discussions on gender-based violence both nationally and internationally. With a PhD in Hispanic Literature and an MA in History from the University of Chicago, Melgar brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the event, promising to offer deep insights and actionable strategies for combating these urgent issues.

Red Heels: Steps Toward Justice will also include support, information, and resources for those in need, provided by local agencies rooted in the Madison community.

Event Timeline:

• 10-11am: Welcome and Breakfast. Coffee and donuts will be served. Circulate to different tables with information for filing police reports, connecting with local social workers, seeking shelter for women and children, and more.
• 11am - 12pm: Keynote Presentation by Dra. Lucía Melgar. There will be time for Q&A with the speaker.

The event is open to the public, and attendees are encouraged to wear red heels as a symbol of solidarity, remembrance, and commitment to justice.

“Together, we can make strides towards ending the violence and fostering a community where every life is valued and protected,” said Gladys Viscarra

Registration is requested, and can be done online at madpl.org/redheels.

This event will take place in Spanish, but English interpretation is available upon request. Please register for the event if you require English interpretation.

Visit madpl.org/redheels to learn more.

Library Takeover is funded by Madison Public Library Foundation and TruStage.

About Madison Public Library

Madison Public Library’s tradition of promoting education, literacy, and community involvement has enriched the City of Madison for nearly 150 years.  Visit the library online at www.madisonpubliclibrary.org and @madisonpubliclibrary on Facebook and Instagram.

About Library Takeover

Library Takeover is a program where teams of 3-4 people get support from Madison Public Library to take their idea for a community event from the planning phase to execution. Following an open call for applications, four teams are selected to host community events in library spaces. In addition to space and resources, each team receives a $2,000 event budget, and individual team members get a $400 stipend. Plus, selected teams work with a mentor from the community, who shares their local contacts and connections and lends their expertise to the process. This year’s mentors are Sarah Akawa, Rob Franklin (Rob Dz), Araceli Esparza, and Charles Payne. Learn more about Library Takeover and the selected teams for 2024 online at madpl.org/librarytakeover.

TRIGGER WARNING: The topics discussed at this event may include stalking or harassment, domestic physical abuse, graphic violence, sexual assault, and death. If you are sensitive to these elements, please take note.