 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
NOTE: NO DELEGATIONS ARE SCHEDULED FOR 2012
| Border Witness Delegations |
 |
"This puts a human face on economic policies like NAFTA." |
Suspension of Border Witness delegations
With deep regret, we have decided to suspend our Border Witness delegations to the Mexico-U.S. Border because of the ongoing, and increasingly random violence in Mexico. Please see the September 2010 Message from Maureen Casey for more about this decision. Watch this space for action-alerts and, hopefully, news of resumption of our Border Witness Delegations.
The next Fair Trade Eyewitness Delegations is planned for Feb. 18-25, 2012 (to Nicaragua or Dominican Republic).
Border Solidarity & Safety
Group leaders decided NOT to cross into Ciudad Juárez in Mexico during the February 2009 delegation. Instead the group visited Palomas, Mexico, about 70 miles west of El Paso. "Border Solidarity & Safety" by International Project Coordinator Maureen Casey describes the delegation experience in Paloma in light of violence in Juárez .
Fair Trade Eyewitness Delegations
Our experience in delegation work and with Fair Trade finally came together in Labor-Religion’s Eyewitness Delegations in January and June-July 2009 and February 2010. These groups traveled to Nicaragua to visit Fair Trade coffee cooperatives and other communities to see first-hand the benefits and possibilities of Fair Trade. There were similarities to the Border Witness experience: groups met with a wide variety of Nicaraguan communities and organizations and learned a great deal about the effects of “free trade” on the people of the cities and countryside. Some differences in the Eyewitness Delegation experience include homestays (with cooperative families) and a slightly longer duration of the trip. The next delegation will be February 2012 (Nicaragua or Dominican Republic), For more information and application forms, click here.
News from a February '09 Border Witness
See "A trip to the border reveals need for change," the regular Social Justice column by NYSUT Secretary-Treasurer Lee Cutler in the March 19 New York Teacher.
News from the October 28-November 3, 2008 delegation
International Project Coordinator Maureen Casey reports that the delegation was a moving experience. The 12 participants included high school and college students, teachers and union activists. The group split time between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez so that people could get a glimpse of how the border is a unique entity with shared issues. Visits and meetings in El Paso included Annunciation House (refuge for migrants resting on their journey), the Farmworkers Center, Border Patrol, Diocesan Refugee and Migrant Services, Cafe Mayapan (great food; run by workers who lost their jobs due to NAFTA). In Juarez, delegates experienced "shopping on a maquiladora wage." They met with maquila workers and visited la Biblioteca do Buen Pastor (an after school support program that helps keeps young people in school).
On Sunday, November 2, delegates witnessed a Catholic Mass celebrated at the fence that divides El Paso and Ciudad Juarez. This has become a traditional celebration of El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in the Border community.
Blogging from the Border
Our 23rd delegation returned from El Paso/ Ciudad Juarez on Nov. 4, 2007. Click here to see photos (thanks to Wayne Downing and Dan Gersten) and daily reflections written by delegation member Alan Lubin, NYSUT Executive Vice President.
Mexican Labor News and Analysis
This publication from UE's International Solidarity section features current articles formatted for easy reading. UE, the United Electircal, Radio & Machine Workers of America, is an International Project ally.
Read about travel from October 30-November 4, 2006 to El Paso, Texas and Cuidad Juarez, Mexico.
"Tim Travels to Texas (and Beyond)" is a thoughtful account (with photos) of the delegation experience by Tim Wilson, Social Justice Coordinator at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester. For background, see an article from New York Teacher about our 2003 trip to the same area (with photos by Marie Triller).
Last Updated:12/06/2011
© Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State
