Thursday, August 23, 2012

Big ask: chance of a lifetime ‘terp gig coming to your town


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