Have you heard of the caravan for peace? It is a historic first in North-South
organizing for peace and justice and I’m writing to ask you to play a key role
in making it happen as interp. The
Mexican movement for peace with justice and dignity in Mexico has done two of
these caravans in Mexico that have had a big impact on discussion and policy in
Mexico around the violence there, and now they’re bringing this tactic over the
border with a 30 day caravan of 110 people, 50 of whom are Mexicans who have lost family members to the
violence, crossing the US.
Great interpretation is key for making this caravan effective. Javier Sicilia, one of the leaders of
the movement who lost his son to the violence, is a poet and powerful
speaker. We want to make sure his
testimony as well as that of all of the other family members of victims on the caravan are
conveyed powerfully, and that they are able to have real dialogue through great
simul. (We have two babel box equipment sets generously
donated by Antena)
I know you know that things have been getting ugly in Mexico. More than 60,000 people have been
killed in drug violence in Mexico in the last few years. 10,000 people
have been disappeared and over 160,000 displaced. The US is sending more and more military aid and more
and more guns are crossing the border.
Of course this has been making things worse.
The caravan seeks to promote dialogue with American civil
society and its government regarding the following official themes of the
caravan: the need to stop gun trafficking; the need to debate alternatives to
drug prohibition; the need for better tools to combat money laundering; and the
need to promote bilateral cooperation in human rights and human security in two
priority areas: promotion of civil society and safety, as well as protection
and safety for migrants. (more on the
positions of the caravan on these issues and the route at caravanforpeace.org)
Of course good dialogue is going to require great
interpretation. This entire
caravan is being run as a volunteer effort. For health reasons I wasn’t able to go, but from Vancouver I
have been spending a ton of time volunteering to help coordinate the
interpretation. Some
fabulous committed interpreters have stepped up to volunteer and travel with
the caravan. They are working
incredibly hard and they need your help!
If the caravan is
coming to your town, could you please donate your services for a few hours at
an event? If so, could you
please email me at sara (at) Spanish for social change (dot) com?
The full caravan route and calendar
is here, click on your city to get details about events there (though not
all cities have posted full details yet)
Upcoming cities are:
Houston
New Orleans
Jackson
Montgomery
Atlanta
Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia (School of the Americas)
Louisville
Chicago (we
especially need help in Chicago, if you know colleagues there who could help
could you please help me to ask them?)
Cleveland
NY
Baltimore
DC
Again, Exact dates at each
here, scroll below map for calendar or just click on your city on the map
for details.
And please, any help spreading the word of this call is much
appreciated!
Mil gracias,
En la lucha,
Sara
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