Trinidad Sanzana

A pioneering Bolivian feminist who fought for women's suffrage and labor rights in the early 20th century

Trinidad Sanzana (1897-1978) was a Bolivian educator, political activist, and founder of the first women's rights organization in Bolivia. Born in Potosí, she became a teacher at age 16 and later organized the first women's suffrage movement in 1920. Her leadership led to the formation of the Bolivian Women's Union in 1922, which successfully lobbied for women's voting rights in 1938. She also established schools for indigenous women and collaborated with labor unions to improve working conditions for female textile workers. Read more on Wikipedia.

Her legacy is preserved in the Museo de la Mujer Bolivia in La Paz, where exhibits highlight her role in securing property rights for married women and co-founding the first women's newspaper La Mujer. Despite facing opposition from conservative groups, she remained active until her death, leaving a blueprint for future activists. Her strategies of combining education with political advocacy became a model for later movements across Latin America.