Portrait of Ana

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how she and her co-workers, predomi- children when she went into exile in the nately women, were given pregnancy United States and how she hasn't seen Ana Yolanda is a revolutionary. I say tests before they were hired, were imme- them for over two years. There was trethat after listening to Ana speak in diately fired if they became pregnant, mendous pain and sadness in her voice classes, at a rally, and just over lunch and were all let go at the age of 25—typi- and eyes as she spoke of these things. during the weekend in November she cal practices of foreign corporations And yet there was also a sense of hope spent in Pittsburgh. She always spoke operating in Third World countries. She and even more of determination that she quietly and simply but with deep convic- recounted how women in her factory had and the other people of El Salvador tion and firm confidence in the struggle organized a union and had participated would win their struggle and she would of the Salvadoran people. She talked in a general strike in 1981. She described be reunited with her children in a new El about women, the trade union struggle, how the factory was taken over by the the situation of the poor and working National Guard, how all the women class in El Salvador, the politics of the wearing tennis shoes were arrested, the participation of women in both the FDR-FMLN, and her own work in the accused of being guerillas, and raped and political organizations and the liberation Committee of Salvadoran Trade Union- tortured in prison. She also discussed the armies of the FDR-FMLN. She also indiists in Exile. Whatever her subject, Ana general situation of women in El Salva- cated the commitment of the revolutionmoved freely from recounting personal dor-the lack of work, extreme poverty, ary groups in El Salvador to address the experiences, often with great emotion, to malnutrition, lack of medical care, illit- question of full emancipation and equalpresenting a general political analysis. It eracy, high infant and maternal mortality ity for women. She emphasized that the was clear her political understanding is and the very common situation of struggle of Salvadoran women for womrooted in her own experiences and the women being left alone to care for fami- en's rights is and must be a part of the experiences of her companeros in El Sal- larger struggle for the freedom of the vador. She cares deeply and thoroughly Ana discussed her own difficulties in Salvadoran people as a whole and for the for the people of El Salvador. That too finding care for her two young children creation of a society in which working was clear, as was her commitment to while she worked at the factory and in people control their own lives. She also continue her political work day by day, feeding and clothing them on her meager recognized the special forms of oppresyear after year, to actually help make the wages. She spoke of having to leave her sion that women suffer and that must be revolution she envisioned and of which On Saturday morning Ana spoke to my class for working women in Carlow's Weekend College. Before the class she told me she had never spoken about women in El Salvador, the subject I had asked her to focus on, and she felt she could not give a good lecture. But she then proceeded to talk and answer questions for an hour and a half. The class went over time, people listened attentively, some with tears in their eyes, and many stayed after class to talk with her more. Her presentation showed careful thought and demonstrated clearly her mettle as a revolutionary activist.

Ana talked first about her experiences working for Texas Instruments, begin- COORDINADORA SINDICAL NICARAGUENSE: CST-CGT-ATC-CAUS-FO-UPN-ANDEN ning as a young woman of 16. She told "To deal with decapitalization... Confiscation!" proclaims billboard in Nicaragua Salvador. lies and children. she spoke. of hope and optimisim. tonary. burgh, Pa. 15203.)

Militant/Arnold Weissberg