OFF TO GUATEMALA TODAY!

TRAVEL TO GUATEMALA TO FIND OUT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND

My daughter Deborah and I are headed to Guatemala today.  We plan to attend the trial of Sapur Zarco, the sexual slavery case from the 1980's civil war days - the trial began Monday.  To follow the trial, http://www.ghrc-usa.org/

We will be interviewing different grass roots organizations involved in human rights, women's rights and the continuing non-violent movement for social change in Guatemala.  I hope to be able to blog from Guatemala so stay tuned.

We will accompany a Needham Massachusetts delegation to the Ixcan for a week to visit an outstanding educational project of resettled Guatemalans from civil war conflict.  http://www.guatemalapartners.org for more information.  This will be my third visit - I am always inspired by the stories of young men and women who have overcome tremendous odds - poor, rural, indigenous to earn university degrees and most importantly, to return to contribute to their community.

Today is a national day of action with a petition going to the President asking for an end to the raids on Central American families and their subsequent deportation. For those of you in Portland, I have an article in the January 29, 2016 issue of Streetroots on the links between police sweeps of homeless camps and ICE raids of Central American families. Check out their website or better yet buy a paper from a homeless vendor.

​Hasta la vista!  Pat