Thursday, February 18, 2010

Leaving Tucson, flying to L.A.

Great few days in Tucson, where we had the opportunity to see several former accompaniers, meet Guatemalans in the area and make new connections.

Upon arrival we headed straight to a meeting with youth from the Tierra y Libertad Organization (TYLO). The conversation was animated with the group of university students, all leaders from their communities and the first with the opportunity to attend university. Youth leaders from Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru passionately spoke with Pascual about similar issues of mining, indigenous rights and autonomy in their home countries. We both admired the confidence with which several proposed strategies of resistance for Pascual and his group to use in Guatemala.
“These youth are creative in their struggle,” said Pascual.

During potlucks, community and university events, we were able to see old friends of G.A.P. and the Guatemalan solidarity movement. It always brings a particular joy to Pascual when we meet other Guatemalans along the way, when he finds other paisanos like the Guatemalan teachers from Tecpan and Patzun who are studying in Tucson for the school year.

The coordinator of TYLO invited us to a Mexican/Tohono O’odham restaurant. The Tohono O’odham are one of the local indigenous tribes. There we were introduced to Doña Maria, an elder with a long life of activism and spirit. The next day she invited us for breakfast with her husband, an official of the Tohono O’odham nation whose territory has been split in half by the U.S.-Mexican border.

Later we visited the Mission of San Xavier, a Jesuit church on Tohono O’odham land and afterwards a Yaqui casino. “The two things brought to our land,” we were told, “the church of the spiritual and the church of capital.”

Early this morning we arrived in Los Angeles and I write you from the home of a Q’anjobal friend, from Santa Eulalia in Huehuetenango. Pascual, as you can imagine, is quite pleased to be here.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Empezando la Gira

Después de unos problemas en el aeropuerto de Houston ayer y ni un minuto extra --más un chofer chistoso de esos vehículos de aeropuerto, quien nos ayudó lograr el vuelo-- llegamos bien a Albuquerque. Nos están cuidando super bien y con mucho amistad la ex-acompañante Renée y su compañero John.

Don Pascual me dijo en la mañana que tenemos un día muy propiciosa en el calendario Maya para empezar nuestra gira: Ajmaq. Es un día para dar y pedir perdón (aunque nosotros no seremos los pidiendo perdón, me dijo Pascual, riendose), para defender los disposeidos y justicia en la tierra --buenos principios para llevar con nosotros en una gira de los ee.uu. Siendo 13, la energía también es muy fuerte.

Ayer terminamos nuestras primeras presentatciónes en la Universidad de Nuevo Mexico en Albuquerque y nos fue SUPER bién. Un jóven que trabaja en una escuela comunitaria indígena trajo una punta de flecha antigua para regalar a Pascual. Como un símbolo de los guerreros de su tribú, trajo el regalo como representación de la misma lucha que se están llevando.

Me conmovió mucho la bienvenida del jovén, quien se presentó en su idioma indígena, y su regalo de solidaridad. Jeremy nos invitó a su programa escolar en la escuela hoy para visitar su grupo de películas alternativas. Como miembro del comité municipal en defensa de los derechos de la niñez y juventud (Pascual), una activista loca quien visitará la escuela por primera vez (Renée) y una ex-director de program escolar (yo), estámos muy emocionados para la visita en la escuela hoy!

Hoy presentamos en otra clase e en la noche estaremos en el Centro de Paz y Justicia en Albuquerque, donde veremos muchos de los profesores y activistas que conocimos en la universidad y la cena de traje anoche en la casa de Renée y John. Estámos emocionados para conocer más activistas también.

Mañana temprano vamos a Tucson! Aquí tienen la agenda de los eventos locales:

TUCSON, AZ; FEBRERO 13-15

FEBRERO 13
Organización Tierra y Libertad (TYLO), 12:45-1:30
EVENTO CERRADO: Reunión con TYLO y estudiantes Guatemaltecos/Mexicanos en programa de estudios en Arizona

Iglesia Presbiterio Southside, 6pm
317 W 23rd Street
Cena de Traje/Evento Comunitarior, 6pm
Presentación, 7pm, “Compartiendo Lucha: Guatemala y la Frontera México/EE.UU.”

FEBRERO 14
Iglesia Unitaria Universalista, 4pm
4831 East 22nd Street, Tucson
Presentación Pública
Co-patrocinado por el Mesa de Trabajo para Derechos Inmigrantes UUCT

FEBRERO 15
O'odham VOCES contra el MURO, mañana
EVENT CERRADO: Visitar Primera Nación Tohono O'odham Nation; discusión de abuso de patrulleros fronterizas y resistencia indígena

Universidad de Arizona – Tucson, 2:30pm
1401 E University Boulevard, Family & Consumer Sciences Building, Room 202
Co-patrocinado por Programa de Estudios Latinoamericanos y Alianza de Salud Global

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Starting the tour

After some migration and customs glitches at Houston airport on Wednesday and no minutes to spare --plus a very funny golf cart driver who made all the difference-- we made our flight to Albuquerque. We are being very kindly taken care of by former accompanier Renee and her partner John.

Don Pascual told me this morning that we have a very auspicious day on the Mayan calendar to start our tour: Ajmaq. It is a day to ask and give forgiveness (although we will not be the ones asking for forgiveness, Pascual said to me, laughing), to defend the dispossessed and for justice on earth --good principles to carry with us through the U.S. Being 13, the energy is also
very strong.

Yesterday we had our first presentations with classes at University of New Mexico and they went GREAT. A young man working at a local indigenous community school brought an arrowhead to give to Don Pascual. As a symbol of the warriors of his tribe, he brought it as a gift to represent their similar struggles.

I was very moved by this young man's welcome to Don Pascual, who introduced himself in his indigenous language, and his gift of solidarity. Jeremy asked us to come to meet his after-school kids today for their alternative films club. As a member of the local committee on youth and children's rights (Pascual), a local activist who will visit the school for the first time (Renee) and a former after-school director (me), we are all very excited we will be able to visit the school today!

Today we have another class and tonight will be at the Albuquerque Peace and Justice Center, where we will see many of the professors, local activists we've met at the university and at the potluck dinner at Renee and John's house last night. We look forward to meeting more local activists as well.

Early tomorrow morning we head out to Tucson! Here are the local events:

TUCSON, AZ; FEBRUARY 13-15

FEBRUARY 13
Tierra y Libertad Organization (TYLO), 12:45-1:30
CLOSED EVENT: Meeting with TYLO and Guatemalan & Mexican students in semester program in Arizona

Southside Presbyterian Church, 6pm
317 W 23rd Street
Potluck Dinner/Community Mixer at 6pm
Presentation at 7pm, “Sharing Struggles: Guatemala and The U.S./Mexico Border”

FEBRUARY 14
KXCI, 91.3, Morning radio show to be confirmed
Listen here at: http://www.kxci.org/

Unitarian Universalist Church, 4pm
4831 East 22nd Street,
Public Presentation
Co-sponsored by the UUCT Immigrant Rights Working Group

FEBRUARY 15
O'odham VOICE against the WALL, morning
CLOSED EVENT: Visit the Tohono O'odham Nation; discussion of border patrol abuse and indigenous resistance.

University of Arizona – Tucson, 2:30pm
1401 E University Boulevard, Family & Consumer Sciences Building, Room 202
Sponsored by Latin American Studies Program & the Global Health Alliance