"The Time is Now" (Dominican Republic, 1922) - Petronila Angélica Gómez
Historical Context
Petronila Angélica Gómez (1883-1971) dedicated her life to the feminist cause. She was a teacher, activist, and founder of a national feminist group, the Comité Central de Feministas Dominicanas. Through this organization, she created the country’s first feminist magazine, Fémina, where she published her manifesto, “The Time is Now.” In this call to action, Gómez criticizes those who resist imperialism without promoting unity. She published her manifesto to encourage her readers to stand up against the tyranny they experienced at the hands of the U.S. government occupation of the island from 1916 to 1924. Gómez wanted her fellow citizens, and the greater Caribbean community, to understand the power that lies in coming together and organizing behind one cause. “The Time is Now” also emphasizes the need to empower Dominican women to actively participate in the national struggle against imperialism. Gomez clearly led by example, but her many contributions have been overlooked in a country with a history of racism and anti-feminism.
"THE TIME IS NOW" ("YA ES HORA," 1922) BY PETRONILA ANGÉLICA GÓMEZ, TRANSLATED BY PAULINA TEJADA CABREJA. COPYRIGHT 2023.
ENGLISH:
This magazine of science, literature, and general interests makes its appearance during a difficult time for the Dominican family, a time when the most insolent imperialism is sweeping over the sacred lands of our nation; a time when it is essential that we work together; a time when we must build a movement through our actions, our commitment to our civic responsibilities, and our unrelenting abnegation.
The truth is, thanks to the passion and support from our neighbors in the lands of Columbus, we have been able to resist the intruding force that has illegitimately seized our beautiful sovereignty, subjecting us to more than six years of servitude. Despite our different belief systems and our unfortunate disagreements about the modus procedendi in the fight for our rights, we have continued to raise the flag of civil rebellion. Yes, all this is true. Yet, nobody can deny that if we had agreed on one idea, and just one strategy for achieving our goals, we would have avoided the many disagreements and missteps that have held us back.
We have put up a brave resistance, but we have failed to come together. We have failed to align our thoughts. We have failed to maintain disciplined cooperation. To deny this is to deny the obvious.
Our shared identity lies in our emphatic opposition to the efforts of our colonizers. We act as an insurmountable wall. We are the people of “NO”, a name given to us by the South American Press. The only thing we agree on is not giving away our inalienable rights—not even one millimeter.
But more is needed. We must mobilize our collective action towards a specific goal. We must ensure no resource is left untapped in our arduous efforts to free ourselves from the chains of oppression. This is why we have created a magazine dedicated to working toward national unity. We offer vast opportunities for the Dominican woman, so that she may be a powerful force for change without opposition.
When women have lent a hand to the cause, they have only been considered secondary support. But their intelligence could be used to spread cultural knowledge and virtue to the masses.
The Dominican woman deserves to occupy her rightful intellectual position during these trying times. This humble magazine offers her this position of distinction so that she may act in the best interest of our people and contribute to the culture of our nation while working towards liberty.
Hopefully, for the sake of our country, the results will surpass our expectations!
ESPAÑOL:
Aparece esta revista científico-literaria y de intereses generales en momentos bien aflictivos para la familia dominicana, aparece cuando sobre el santo suelo de la Patria soplan las ráfagas del más insólito imperialismo; aparece cuando más necesaria es una labor de cooperación, y cuando se necesita edificar con acciones y pensamientos de noble civismo y abnegación sin límites.
Verdad es que hasta ahora hemos podido, gracias a nuestra conducta loada con calor por los pueblos hermanos enclavados en el vasto continente colombino, impedir los designios, de la fuerza interventora que ha detenido nuestra preciosa soberanía por más de seis años de dura servidumbre; cierto que a pesar de nuestra disparidad de criterios y de nuestras lamentables desavenencias en el modus procedendi para la reivindicación de nuestros derechos, hemos mantenido en alto la bandera de la rebeldía cívica; cierto, es verdad, todo ello; pero a nadie se le oculta que si hubiera existido solo un pensamiento, una sola acción para el logro de nuestro anhelo nos hubiésemos ahorrado muchos disgustos y no pocos entorpecimientos que han obrado en nuestro daño.
Hemos resistido con gallarda rebeldía; pero sin unidad de acción, sin unidad de pensamientos, sin cooperación disciplinada. Negarlo equivaldría a negar lo evidente.
La única identidad nuestra solo ha consistido en oponer como infranqueable valla a los aviesos tanteos del ocupante, nuestra rotunda negativa. Somos el pueblo del NO, como nos llama la prensa sur-americana. En lo único que hemos estado de común acuerdo, es en no ceder ni un solo milímetro de nuestros inalienables derechos.
Pero a nuestro entender eso no basta; Es preciso procurar poner en juego nuestras actividades colectivas con una orientación exclusiva y absoluta; Es preciso tratar de que no haya un solo elemento social que permanezca inactiva en la ardua tarea de romper nuestras cadenas, y de ahí que hayamos concebido el propósito de publicar una revista en que, laborando por la unificación nacional, ofrezca ancho campo a la mujer dominicana, para qué tan poderoso agente produzca sin el menor estorbo, su acción fecunda y bien hechora.
La mujer nuestra, deseosa de arrimar el hombro a la causa nacional, solo ha podido hasta el presente prestar una ayuda material y secundaria, cuando bien podría con su inteligencia difundir virtud y cultura en las masas populares.
La mujer dominicana merece ocupar en esta hora adversa el puesto intelectual que merece y ese puesto de insigne distinción, ese lugar señalado para actuar en bien de la libertad y la cultura de su pueblo, viene a brindárselo esta humilde revista.
¡Ojalá que los resultados superen a nuestras esperanzas en honra y bienestar de la Patria!
_________________
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE - PAULINA TEJADA CABREJA
This manifesto depicts the power that lies behind a collective movement. The translation extends its reach English-speaking audiences. Cultural imperialism continues to be a pressing concern in the Dominican Republic. Today’s activists can build on the foundation set forth by predecessors like Petronila Angélica Gómez. Because she was one of the first feminist figures to arise in the Dominican Republic, her contributions are being rediscovered by historians and students focused on intersectional social justice. Gómez’s writing introduces students to anti-imperialist perspectives, early feminist discourses, and Afro-Latino/a/e identity. Given my own Afro-Dominican identity, I am committed to revealing the hidden history and revitalizing the lost culture of the Dominican Republic.
Citation:
Paulina Tejada, Translator, “The Time is Now (Dominican Republic, 1922) by Petronila Angélica Gómez,” Spanish and Hispanic Studies Digital Gallery at HWS, Summer, 2023.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.