Decolonial Resistance Through a Critical Feminist Analysis of Activism Against Gendered and Racialized Violence in Vancouver and Guadalajara

Abstract

This research explores how feminist movements in Vancouver and Guadalajara respond to and challenge persistent state inaction in addressing gendered and racialized violence rooted in colonial legacies. By connecting Indigenous and feminist grassroots activism in both cities, the study analyzes how different forms of advocacy challenge structural violence and highlight the emotional, legislative and social goals of the affected communities. The research utilizes Critical Race Feminist theory to examine how marginalized women’s experiences are narrated and legitimized or delegitimized. Through archival research by way of media analysis of social media, NGO websites, and activists’ campaigns, the project seeks to reveal strategies used by feminist movements to influence public discourse and policy. Through its comparative lens, the study advocates for transnational solidarity, contextualizes manifestations of violence and aims to expand understanding of resistance across colonial contexts. The findings will contribute to ongoing conversations about transformative justice, accountability and the continual necessity to abolish colonial structures that support gendered and racialized violence.