Scientific scholarship does not always recognize the knowledges produced by activist actors as valid or rigorous, often marginalizing their insights from academic and policy-oriented debates. This exclusion is both problematic and paradoxical, particularly given that those most directly affected by (state) violence in its various manifestations are continuously engaged in critical inquiry —analyzing the conditions that shape their lives and actively developing responses and pathways out of politically complex, often violent, situations. As authors of this policy paper, we are primarily concerned with creating a communication channel to uplift activist and academic voices, thereby contributing to position them at the center in both scientific and practice-oriented discussions. In March 2024, we met virtually with social movements and activists from the cities of Santiago de Chile and Santiago de Cali (Colombia) for an exchange of experiences and reflections on the mass protests that took place at different times between 2019 and 2021 in each city. This document compiles the key reflections from the exchange. It aims to convey the insights of an illustrated policy report originally written and published in Spanish. This translated English version seeks to reach a broader audience at the intersection of urban protests, the politics of memory, and repertoires of resistance —including civil society organizations, international donors, activists, journalists, and artists. This policy paper tells the story of the storymakers —of those whose lived experiences and reflections offer indispensable knowledge for rethinking justice, memory, and political transformation.
