Jaime Montejo, one of the founders of the Brigada Callejera, died in the early morning of May 5 of COVID-19 in Mexico City. For more than 30 years Jaime fought for sex workers in Mexico. This is a tribute written by Natalia Escobar and the original can be found in Spanish here.
Not a funeral but a tribute, that’s how sex workers said goodbye to Jaime Montejo.
Jaime Montejo, together with Elvira Madrid, are founders of the Brigada Callejera (Street Brigade), and both got sick in the COVID pandemic that now plagues Mexico. Elvira Madrid could not say goodbye to her life partner as she is recovering at home, but the sex workers in the area of Revolution in Downtown Mexico City organized a tribute.
Hugs were replaced with a clothesline of red and white cards as the sounds of vallenato were heard between tears and the chants of solidarity and gratitude from the throats of cis and trans women. On one of the banners was a modified verse of a vallenato song: “the paths of life are not as I imagined, but your path has made them more dignified and rebellious. We love you Jaime Montejo.” Colombia was the country where he was born, but Mexico is his home.
There was no coffin, but there were photographs that showed his activism for sex workers, fighting against human trafficking and HIV. The exhibit also demonstrated his respect for dogs and a scene from a comic strip that showed an independent and community media project, focusing on sex work and sex work abuses: that independent media project was called Noti-Calle, and on May 5, 2020 it lost its founder.
Jaime Montejo’s heart stopped due to complications of COVID-19, but the inscription on his epitaph read “Rebellion is life, submission is death.” He is immortalized by his actions; just weeks before his death, he was feeding sex workers in a community kitchen. Sex workers have been hardest hit by today’s health crisis, with no income, food, or government support.
The palm tree behind the Revolution subway station was the farewell site. There was no funeral and no body present; it was an act of rebellion and solidarity. People prayed and the speakers of the local mayor’s office could be heard saying, “Stay at home.” Perhaps the people passing by didn’t know that many of those present were homeless and that Mexico City’s government was giving orders but no options for shelter and food.
Masked faces and and sanitizer-scented hands were part of the scene among those attending the homage. The collective cry of “Total respect for sex work!” could be heard. The applause, cheers, thanks, and shouts then lead to tears.
Sex workers lost an activist who dedicated more than 30 years of his 56 years of life to defending those who use the streets as their work space.
Jaime Montejo’s partner Elvira Madrid is at home recovering, but sex workers in the downtown area of Revolution have been writing their best wishes in notebooks and cards, among which read:
Elvira: Life goes on, we trans girls are with you, and the fight goes on. We need you! We love you! Sincerely, Karla Ivett.
Elvira: You are with us. You are a warrior, and you can do this. We all love you very much.
Elvira: Thank you for everything. We must push forward, with strength as always, like the example set by Jaime Montejo, fighting to the end. May God bless him in heaven, and we hope that his example and little bit of wisdom stay with us. Blessings. Sincerely, Tonale.
The cries of “Jaime, revolution is with you” were mixed with another proclamation, “Jaime, revolution always!” Other heart-broken voices asked the people, “What did Jaime say?” and the response was, “Total respect for sex work!”
The Zapatista hymn replaced the prayers and from a small speaker came the verse of “We can already see the horizon, Zapatista fighter, the path will be drawn now for those who come in the future.”
And before the sound system was removed, the song “I Will Resist” (Resistiré) from the punk group “Los Muertos de Cristo” said goodbye to Jaime and sent a message to Elvira, “I will resist, to continue living. I will bear the blows, and I will never give up; even if dreams break into pieces, I will resist, I will resist.”