Vallejos is a co-founder of the Ni Una Menos movement, launched in 2015 to raise national awareness about femicide and gender-based violence. The movement quickly gained momentum, sparking widespread protests across Latin America and becoming a major force in the fight for women’s rights.
The class, held in Buenos Aires at Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM), offered students a unique perspective on feminist activism. Vallejos shared a firsthand account of the early Ni Una Menos mobilization, focusing on how the event was organised during a moment of unprecedented social energy and media engagement.
“I focused on how the long-standing grassroots feminist organizing—often limited in reach—merged with the expertise of journalists and media producers across platforms, as we faced a unique challenge: a protest we proposed on social media that was exponentially embraced by millions, most of whom had never had direct contact with feminist activism.”
Compared to 2015—when many of the students were still in childhood/teenage—the current landscape has changed dramatically. Social media and digital platforms have evolved, collective mindsets have shifted, and so have the forms of violence and harassment. Yet, Vallejos noted, the experiences still resonate across generations and geographies, offering valuable ground for dialogue and reflection.
“Social media in 2015 helped catalyze a national conversation, channeling a wave of demands and demonstrations. […] Today, some of the things Ni Una Menos had demanded (and achieved) have been dismantled by political forces in power.” she said.
Despite this regression, Vallejos remains cautiously hopeful about the role of social media in activism. Digital platforms can help combat inequality and violence “but not in absolute or magical ways. There must be social balances, interests, and concerns at play. There’s also an element of unpredictability.”
She described the exchange with the students as deeply enriching, especially as they come from diverse backgrounds.
“I’m naturally pessimistic, but—how can we not do something? Or at least try? In human rights, what other choice do we have? There’s always something to add, to do, to seek, and to change. I believe that’s a big part of our mission—if we have one. The other part is seeing others and understanding that we’re all in this together, whether or not we think alike. There’s no alternative but to coexist, and ensuring the full exercise of human rights for ourselves and others is essential if we want to enjoy our lives.”
We thank Soledad Vallejos for her vital contribution to the Global Campus learning experience, as she continues to be an influential voice in journalism and activism—especially on issues of gender, rights, and social justice.
As a Latin American woman, I believe the experience shared by Soledad was really meaningful.
She highlighted that the Ni Una Menos movement didn’t emerge overnight, but rather from the long-standing political organizing of women, driven by the exhaustion with injustice in a patriarchal society. Ni Una Menos was powered by sheer determination and collective effort, which succeeded in channeling demands that had long been silenced. It was a movement that managed to transcend all kinds of borders—political, partisan, social, and professional—being embraced by women everywhere. Ultimately, it was a message for all generations, letting every woman know that we are here for one another.
LATMA student