Elena Arizmendi Mejía (18 January 1884 – 4 November 1949) was a Mexican feminist who established the Neutral White Cross to care for casualties of the Mexican Revolution that the Red Cross would not aid. Participating in the first wave of Mexican feminism, she established two international women's rights organizations: the "Mujeres de la Raza" (Women of the [Hispanic] Race) and the International League of Iberian and Latin American Women.
Arizmendi was born in 1884 to a prominent and well-connected family in Mexico City. After completing her studies, she had a brief marriage which ended in divorce. As options for women were limited, she decided to study nursing at the School of Nursing of the Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Shortly before her graduation in 1911, Arizmendi returned to Mexico to found a medical relief organization. Since the Mexican Red Cross refused to provide care for revolutionaries, Arizmendi used her contacts to raise funds and organize the Neutral White Cross. The organization was apolitical and established field hospitals to care for any wounded combatants involved in the Mexican Revolution. During the war, she sought legal advice from José Vasconcelos and their relationship turned into a long-term love affair.
In 1915, the political climate in Mexico caused Arizmendi and Vasconcelos to go into exile. The couple lived briefly in the United States and Peru. When he made plans to return to see his wife in Mexico, Arizmendi broke off their affair and moved to New York City in 1916. She began working as a music teacher and journalist and married a German national, who later became a US citizen. Arizmendi lost her Mexican nationality because of nineteenth-century legislation which required married women to have the same nationality as their husband. Though the marriage was brief, Arizmendi remained in the United States working in feminist causes from 1921 to the mid-1930s. In addition to founding two feminist organizations, she founded the magazine, Feminismo Internacional (International Feminism), to publish feminist information by and about Spanish and Latin American women and combat the stereotypical views held about them from Anglo-American feminists. In 1927, she wrote a fictionalized autobiography, Vida incompleta (Incomplete Life), to explain her views on feminism and the double standards women faced in living their lives.
Returning to Mexico in 1938, she helped the White Cross change its direction into an organization to benefit children. At the time of her death in 1949, she was remembered primarily for her philanthropy. The White Cross, which still operates as a children's health organization, named its dispensary in the Xochimilco borough of Mexico City after her and persuaded the government to name a street in Colonia del Valle in her honor in 1985. Scholarly interest in her life emerged in the 21st century, recovering her legacy as a feminist and writer.
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Some of their strengths
Elena Arizmendi Mejía has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intelligent, Diplomatic, Creative, Hardworking, Loyal, Generous, and Optimistic.
Smart and Hardworking
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Elena Arizmendi Mejía is someone who is a smart, hardworking, reliable, and loyal person, who is detail-oriented and orderly, but also generous and optimistic. A person who defines themself by their friends and what groups they belong to.
Charming and Sophisticated
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Elena Arizmendi Mejía well know them as someone who can be classy, glamorous, and worldly, like jewelry.
Altruistic and Innovative
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Elena Arizmendi Mejía as someone who is altruistic, inventive, energetic, and socially-conscious.
Who is inventive, open-minded and inquisitive, optimistic and cooperative, and who loves working together with others.
Charismatic and Playful
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Elena Arizmendi Mejía is someone who is used to being the center of attention, and who has a playful approach to dealing with life.
They are also someone who is confident and creative, and who has a love for starting new projects, inventing new things, and giving back to the community.
Patient and Perseverent
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Elena Arizmendi Mejía tends to be someone who is patient, faithful, hardworking and persistent, and who wants to achieve a lot in life. Who tends to be rather private when it comes to expressing feelings, enjoys being independent and self-sufficient, and who is not afraid of any obstacle.
Some of Elena Arizmendi Mejía's challenges
While Elena Arizmendi Mejía has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Elena Arizmendi Mejía can be Suspicious, Stubborn, Hesitant, Narcissistic, Indecisive, Unrealistic, and Anxious.
Suspicious and Stubborn
One of Elena Arizmendi Mejía's key challenges is that they are someone who can be suspicious and stubborn.
Elena Arizmendi Mejía must also exercise caution as they can be excessive and unrealistic.
Anxious and Inflexible
Elena Arizmendi Mejía is someone who can be high-strung, impatient, and inflexible, who can be "penny wise and pound foolish", have poor listening skills, and who can be intolerant of people who share a different world view.
Callous and Stubborn
Finally, Elena Arizmendi Mejía also can come across as cold and unemotional, be too dismissive of others' opinions, and be overly suspicious, selfish and crafty.
