DELEGATION TO OAXACA, MEXICO
Crossing borders: Political resistance and Economic Migration
April 26- May 3
CONTACT: Diana Denham, casachapulin@gmail.com, www.casacollective.org
In June of 2006 a popular uprising, sparked by a state police attack on striking teachers, emerged in response to the grinding poverty, widespread human rights violations, and rampant government corruption present in Oaxaca, Mexico. In the months that followed, the state government increasingly criminalized and attacked the grassroots social movement that flourished across the state. In months that followed, 27 movement activists were assassinated by government and paramilitary forces, and hundreds more were arbitrarily detained and tortured.
Political protest is not the only response to centuries of poverty, racism and corruption in Oaxaca. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Oaxacans migrate North in search of a better life for themselves and their families. Many migrants face a grueling and sometimes fatal desert-crossing, extreme exploitation in the United States and the constant fear of being arrested. What motivates Oaxacans to take these risks—both those associated with organizing at home and those implied in leaving?
Join a delegation to Oaxaca to listen to firsthand experiences of migrants and organizers. We will spend a week meeting with organizations that engage the issue of migration from various angles including human rights organizations, direct support centers for migrants, cooperatives, alternative education centers, sustainable agriculture initiatives, and community radios. The delegation also includes a trip to the region of Oaxaca with the highest rates of migration to the U.S. and visits with several indigenous communities.
WHEN: Saturday April 26-Saturday May 3
WHERE: Oaxaca, Mexico
COST: $650 USD (Delegation cost includes hotel, two meals a day, and travel within the state of Oaxaca. Participants are responsible for their own travel to the city of Oaxaca).
CONTACT: Diana Denham, casachapulin @gmail.com
The delegation will be facilitated by Colectivos de Apoyo, Solidaridad y Acción (Collectives for Support Solidarity and Action.) C.A.S.A. operates centers for international solidarity and education in Chiapas and Oaxaca. For more information, please see our website: www.casacollective.org