Raquel Dzib Cicero

Vocation

Notable

Mexican teacher and feminist activist, an early member of the Socialist Party of the Southeast and one of the first three women elected to a legislative body in Mexico. She taught for over fifty years and was still teaching at the time of her death. She participated in the First Feminist Congress of Mexico which occurred in 1916 in Mérida under the auspices of governor Salvador Alvarado. The Liga de Profesores (Teacher's League) was formed in 1918, and Dzib served as its treasurer, scrupulously accounting for the funds. In 1922, she helped found the Feminist League of Yucatán, as part of the Socialist Party of the Southeast with Elvia Carrillo Puerto, Beatriz Peniche de Ponce, Rosa Torre González, Adolfina Valencia and Consuelo Zavala. On 18 November 1923, three candidates who were members of the Liga Rita Cetina Gutierrez (League of Rita Cetina Gutiérrez) were elected to the local legislature as candidates of the Socialist Party of the Southeast. Dzib was elected for the third district of the City of Mérida, Elvia Carrillo Puerto elected by the District of Izamal, and Peniche by the second district of Mérida. Their triumph at the polls was short-lived, as the women were forced out when governor Felipe Carrillo Puerto was assassinated in 1924. Dzib withdrew from politics after the assassination and dedicated her life to education. When she had attained 50 years of teaching, Dzib was awarded a gold service medal. In her honor, the government of Yucatán awards the Raquel Dzib Cicero Medal annually to all teachers who have reached 30 years of uninterrupted service. Dzib died on 14 March 1949, aged 67, in Mérida. Link to Wikipedia biography