Project Intersect: Health Disparities Research at the Intersection of Race, Ethnicity, and Disability

On April 25 and 26th, I attended the Project Intersect Conference, which convened advocates, researchers, practitioners, and policy makers nationwide to discuss health disparities experienced by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities from underserved racial and ethnic backgrounds. The Conference Summary defines “underserved” as “racial and ethnic groups who have not received the same opportunities, resources, and services as White people. These underserved groups include African-Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos.”

The opening panel was an opportunity to learn first hand from people who have experienced barriers to accessing quality health care services based on their racial and ethnic backgrounds. The first speakers, the Lee family, were a Chinese American family whose adult daughter has Downs Syndrome. Her parents described the difficulties they experienced in getting their state’s health care system to approve the cost of treatment for secondary conditions from physicians who understand Chinese culture and language, important components to empower their daughter in her health care.

The next speaker, Wardell Keyes, was an African-American male with a spinal cord injury (SCI) resulting from an accident. He was quick to point out that in the greater Chicago area where he lives, the leading demographics of people with SCI are young African-American males who have been paralyzed as a result of gun violence. Walter described learning to navigate the health care system and advocate for himself, and how he draws on these experiences to mentor young men with SCI.

The third speaker, a Mexican man named Horacio Esparza, is host and producer of Radio Vida Independiente, a Spanish language radio show by and for people with disabilities; Executive Director of Progress Center for Independent Living that serves the entire suburban Cook County area; and author of a collection of poetry titled “Un Sueno y un Despertar” (“A Dream and an Awakening”). He became blind as a child, and believing his blindness to be a result of an accident, he was shocked when his two children’s retinas detached while the family was living in Mexico. It had never occurred to him that his blindness could be hereditary.  The family moved to the United States, where they believed they would receive better quality health care, but instead encountered racist and xenophobic doctors who accused the family of being undocumented immigrants “taking advantage of America’s health care system.” After a long ordeal, the family found a compassionate Cuban doctor to treat their children, who are now adults with successful careers. Horacio stated that has a result of his family’s experiences, he believed that health practitioners not only should have “knowledge of a person’s health care need, but should be sensitive in responding to that need.”

The fourth and final speaker, Angel Love Miles is a young African-American woman with Spinal Bifida, earning a PhD in Women’s Studies from the University of Maryland. She described interactions with the academic and medical communities where her disability has been treated with disregard and disrespect. The academic community does not allocate funding based on the consideration that students with disabilities may take longer to graduate from a PhD program. Her doctor’s office is unable to accommodate her electric wheelchair, so every time she visits, she must leave her wheelchair outside before transferring to crutches and taking the elevator. She described recent incident when she was in the hospital, and in pain, requested a bedpan from a nurse, who responded condescendingly that she wanted to “motivate” Angel to use the toilet.  Angel’s response to this insensitive and prejudiced remark–”I’m in a PhD program, I don’t need you to motivate me.”

The next panel discussion featured professionals whose work addressed the intersections of race, ethnicity, and disability through social science research as well as legal and political advocacy. The speakers were tremendously informative, and I was very interested to learn that the Article 25 of Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), an international treaty guaranteeing the human rights of people with disabilities, specifically declares that people with disabilities have the right to health care services of the highest quality.

The afternoon’s sessions provided an opportunity for all attendees to develop and vote on a research proposal to further document the “axis of inequality” experienced by people with disabilities from underserved racial and ethnic backgrounds. The  day concluded with a poster session, where I enjoyed having the opportunity to chat with attendees and panelists, and learn about recent projects that spanned an array of issues in the fields of health, race, ethnicity, and disability.

The second day began with Keynote speaker Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones, MD, MPH, PhD, who gave a stirring speech, which she opened by explaining: “in America, I am seen as black, but in parts of Brazil I would just as surely be seen as white, and in South Africa, I would be colored….And if I were to live in each of these places long enough, I would take on health outcomes based on the race I was perceived to be.” She expanded upon this idea by using a metaphor of a cliff to represent a health emergency, and described how certain groups, such as people with disabilities and underserved racial and ethnic communities are closer to the cliff than other groups. She defined the goal of a successful health intervention “to move people away from the cliff.”

Dr. Jones shared musings about key differences she had observed in how society perceives people from underserved racial and ethnic groups who have “fallen off the cliff” as compared to people with disabilities. She stated that for people from underserved racial and ethnic groups, “barriers [to accessing quality health care services] are unseen and ignored.” For people with disabilities, “barriers [to accessing quality health care] are often seen, but ignored.”She added that a person’s race is perceived to be unchanging, while anyone could develop a disability at any time that may or may not be visible.

To illuminate how people from underserved racial and ethnic groups and people with disabilities receive differential access to goods, services, and opportunities in society, she used an allegorical story based on her own experiences called “the Gardener’s Tale.” I found this story to be very moving and effective for understanding institutional racism and ablism, and rather than summarizing it here, I have linked to it at the post’s conclusion to give readers an opportunity to read Dr. Jones’s eloquent words first hand.

Dr. Jones concluded her speech by describing methods to reverse institutional racism and ablism that would result in achieving improved health outcomes for people with disabilities from underserved racial and ethnic groups, thereby “moving them away from the cliff.” She referred to the United Nations’s Convention for Rights of Person’s with Disabilities (CRPD) mentioned above, and also asked if the audience knew that the United States had signed and ratified an international anti-racism treaty known as the International Convention on the Elimination on all forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) in 1994.

ICERD, which was written into force in 1969, is designed to protect individuals and groups from discrimination based on race, whether the discrimination is intentional, or is the result of seemingly neutral policies such as police profiling. According to Dr. Jones, the United States Government must submit regular reports to an independent committee of experts on how the treaty is being implemented. the US is due to release its third report to the Committee in  spring 2013. Dr. Jones wrapped up her speech with the message that disability rights and racial justice advocates “need to keep building with each other.”

Image from Project Intersect’s promotional materials

Learn more about the Project Intersect Conference

1. “Project Intersect: Health Disparities Research at the Intersection of Race, Ethnicity, and Disability: A National Conference.”  Oregon Health & Sciences University. http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/institute-on-development-and-disability/public-health-programs/project-intersect/upload/Conference_Program-FINAL.pdf and http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/institute-on-development-and-disability/public-health-programs/upload/Project-Intersect-Summary.pdf These are links to the official conference program and summary.

2. Jones, Camara Phyllis. “Levels of racism: A theoretic framework and a gardener’s tale.” American Journal of Public Health. August 2000.http://www.cahealthadvocates.org/_pdf/news/2007/Levels-Of-Racism.pdf  Keynote speaker Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones explains her theories regarding institutional racism, a framework could be applied to ablism, classism, heterosexism, and other “isms” and illustrates the framework using a story about a gardener.

3. NARIC. “Health Disparities Research Meets Race, Ethnicity, and Disability at a National Conference.” Collection Spotlight from the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC). May 1, 2013. http://naricspotlight.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/health-disparities-research-meets-race-ethnicity-and-disability-at-a-national-conference/ These blog posts provide detailed information regarding the speakers and organizations who led the Conference’s presentations and breakout sessions.

The Black Power Mixtape

I recently splurged on Netflix streaming, and in addition to watching every dance drama I have ever wanted to watch, I have enjoyed having access to every documentary I never even knew I wanted to see. At the top of this list is “The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975.”

From 1967-9175, a crew of Swedish reporters captured key moments and revealing interviews with leaders in the Black Power Movement. Their film had languished undiscovered for 30 years in Swedish Television’s cellar, but was thankfully made into a documentary in 2011.

The content of this documentary presents a rare window into the lives of leaders of the Black Power Movement. I delighted in observing Stokely Carmichael’s calm yet rousing demeanor giving speeches, also present in his own home chatting with his mother. The unfolding of Angela Davis’s conviction, trial, and effect on the African American community was incredibly visually powerful as well.

But what transforms this illuminating historical footage into a “mixtape,” is the overlay of contemporary insights shared in the form of audio interviews with leading African-American artists, activists, musicians, and scholars. An additional layer to this spectacular cultural collage is the perspective from the other side of the lens, belonging to the Swedish filmmakers.  The cohesion of all these elements has yielded a fantastic documentary, and like a beloved mixtape, I plan to watch it again and again–divining new insights with each viewing.

The poster for “The Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975″ features Angela Davis.

Watch The Black Power Mixtape

1. Olsson, Göran Hugo. The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975. 2011. http://blackpowermixtape.com/ This link is to the official website for the documentary. The documentary is available for purchase on the website, and also available on Netflix streaming.

Learn more about some of the activists who participated in the Black Power Movement

1. “Stokely Carmichael: Inventor of the Black Power slogan and concept.” April 22, 2013. http://stokely-carmichael.com/ This website shares information regarding the life and career of leader of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Black Panther Party Stokely Carmichael.

2. Lynch, Shola. “Free Angela and All Political Prisoners.” 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh49nbTq268 This link is to the trailer for a recently released documentary about Angela Davis.

3. Lynch, Shola. “Angela Davis Film Explores the Terrorist and Scholar.” April 18, 2013. http://www.npr.org/2013/04/18/177765543/angela-davis-film-explores-the-terrorist-and-scholar  Here is a link to an informative interview with the Director of “Free Angela and All Political Prisoners,” which gives great insight into the making of the film.

4. Joseph, Jamal. ” NPR Tell Me More. “‘Panther Baby,’ From Prisoner To Professor.” February 22, 2012. http://www.npr.org/2012/02/22/147257222/panther-baby-from-prisoner-to-professor Jamal Joseph was 15-years old when he joined the Black Panther Party. His 12-year sentence in Leavenworth Penitentiary for helping fugitive Panther members, is alluded to in the film. I caught this reference having listened to his interview on NPR and read his compelling memoir “Panther Baby.”

Learn more about some of the musicians interviewed in the film 

1. Kweli, Talib. 2013. http://www.talibkweli.com/ This link is to rapper/R&B artist Talib Kweli’s official website. I greatly admire his abilities to blend rhythm with lyrics that reference literature, politics, and everything in between from the first time I heard his song “Miss Hill.” I felt giddy when I caught his reference to science fiction heroine Lauren Olamina from Octavia Butler’s novel “Parable of the Sower.” Watching the film and listening to Talib share his insights about Stokley Carmichael, Barack Obama, and the Black Power Movement’s influence on the Stonewall riots, truly echoed his musical stylings, and brought to life the “mixtape” quality I so love in this documentary.

2. Kott, Lidia Jean. “Tall Glass Of Rock Star-Ness: A Q&A With Questlove.” NPR. April 15, 2013. http://www.npr.org/2013/04/15/176061633/tall-glass-of-rock-star-ness-a-q-a-with-questlove Journalist Lidia Jean Kott recently had a phone interview with Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, drummer and co-founder of The Roots. In addition to providing an interview, Questlove produced music for the documentary. He is also publishing a memoir in June titled Mo’ Meta Blues, which according to Ms. Kott, is “intimate and funny. Plus, you’ll come away with a crash course in hip-hop history.”

3. Pleasant, Maranda. ”Erykah Badu: Interview With Origin Magazine.” Huffington Post. February 8, 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/08/erykah-badu-interview-origin-magazine-february-2013_n_2638886.html Editor of Origin Magazine Maranda Pleasant interviewed musician Erykah Badu regarding her life, music, and work as a doula in the February 2013 issue of Origin Magazine. This interview is very interesting, but I really loved listening to Erykah Badu in “the Black Power Mixtape,” where in addition to sharing her articulate views about America’s race and class systems, she sings!

Reflections on Guatemala’s Genocide Trial from the words of Francisco Goldman

Since my post reflecting on the connection between my Jewish identity and the Genocide Trial for Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt and Maurcio Rodriguez Sanchez, I have not written about the trial.

My reasons for not writing about such a watershed event in Guatemala’s history are complicated.  Writing about the trial necessitates a keen understanding of Guatemala’s present-day judicial system and 36-year Civil War. My knowledge of both topics is limited, and I have preferred to listen to the expert analysis of Guatemalan survivors and Human Rights Advocates. Furthermore, the trial’s proceedings have many nuances, and I believe that I could do harm sharing information on such a public forum without cautious knowledge for how what I publish could affect Guatemalan survivors’ pursuit of justice.

In writing about Guatemala, I perceive Guatemalans and Human Rights Advocates as belonging to the inner rungs of a spiral, and I position myself on an outer rung, whereby I aim to reach outward to promote awareness and simultaneously inward to draw support to them. Yet April 18th and 19th brought about such surprising turns to the Genocide Trial that I have decided to briefly share my thoughts, and point readers to excellent sources of information that they can access to learn more about the trial. In addition to the sources linked below, I recommend following the blogs, facebook posts, and twitter feeds of NISGUA (Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala) and GHRC (the Guatemala Human Rights Commission) to receive up-to-date information of the trial’s proceedings.

On Thursday, April 18, 2013, Genocide Trial Judge Carol Patricia Flores declared testimonies from genocide survivors invalid, which would suspend the trial, and turn back progress to pre-trial proceedings of November, 2011.  According to journalist Allan Nairn, this shocking and confusing decision was politically motivated. Despite this heartbreaking setback, that very night hundreds of Guatemalans, led by a delegation of Ixil Mayan genocide survivors, marched on the Palacio de Justicia, chanting “We are all Ixiles”and held a candle light vigil praying for justice.

Hundreds of people, lead by the Ixil Mayan delegation, chanting “We are all Ixiles”, marched on the Palacio de Justicia, and in a candle light vigil prayed for, demanded justice. (photo courtesy of Laurie Levinger via Facebook Page for “Granito: How to Nail a Dictator,” April 19, 2013)

The next day, Friday, April 19, 2013 brought even more twists and turns. Judge Jazmin Barrios reconvened the Genocide Trial, and the trial’s panel of three judges issued a statement that the trial would continue. However, the trial was temporarily suspended so that the court could resolve the legal issues that had caused Judge Flores to declare the trial illegal the day before.

While following April 19th’s updates on facebook, I was listening to Radio Ambulante, a Spanish-language radio program showcasing compelling human stories from around Latin America and the United States. I was listening to an interview with Guatemalan American writer Francisco Goldman and Dominican American writer Junot Diaz regarding their experiences writing about Latinos in English and their relationships with Latin America.

The interview was incredibly interesting as I am a big fan of Francisco Goldman’s work, and have reviewed “The Art of Political Murder” on my blog. I also wrote my undergraduate thesis on “Drown,” Junot Diaz’s collection of intersecting vignettes about Dominican immigrants. Much of their conversation about language and identity fascinated me, and I plan to dedicate a future post to their interview addressing this topic.

Toward the end of the interview, Goldman shared a perspective that eerily resonated with Guatemala’s genocide trial proceedings. His recently published  novel “Say Her Name” is about his wife Aura Estrada, who tragically died in a surfing accident. He stated how he was “plunged into trauma” after her death, and his suffering gave him a newfound understanding of Guatemala “as a space filled with thousands of people who have lost their loved ones in a violent way.”

My reflection on the weight of Goldman’s words gave way to thinking about the waves of suffering Guatemalan genocide survivors feel–not just from the loss of their loved ones, but also from the re-traumatization of sharing their stories in a court room that denied them justice on April 18th. However, their refusal to accept this verdict, truly speaks to incredible abilities to yoke their trauma with resilience. As the trial proceedings continue to unfold, I am uncertain of the future portends save for my commitment to sharing information and expressing solidarity and support for justice in Guatemala.

Learn more about the Genocide Trial of Rios Montt and Maurcio Rodriguez Sanchez

1. The Open Society Justice Initiative. The Trial of Efrian Ríos Montt and Maurcio Rodriguez Sanchez. 2013. http://www.riosmontt-trial.org/ This excellent website, written in English and Spanish, contains detailed updates of trial proceedings written by International Human Rights Monitors, comprehensive historical background information, Glossary, and Timeline.

2. Rodriguez, James. “2013-04-19. On day 21, the Genocide Trial’s fate rests on the Constitutional Court.”  MiMundo. http://www.mimundo.org/2013/04/20/2013-04-19-on-day-21-the-genocide-trials-fate-rests-on-the-constitutional-court/ and “2013-04-18. On day 20, the Genocide Trial is Abruptly Cancelled.” http://www.mimundo.org/2013/04/19/2013-04-18-on-day-20-the-genocide-trial-is-abrubtly-cancelled/Photojournalist James Rodriguez’s evocative photoessays document the courtroom on April 18th and 19th.

3. Golman, Amy. “Genocide Trial of Former Dictator Ríos Montt Suspended After Intervention by Guatemalan President.” Democracy Now. April 19, 2013. http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/19/genocide_trial_of_former_dictator_ros Democracy Now’s interview with journalist Allan Nairn is very helpful in illuminating the reasons that motivated the April 18th trial suspension.

Listen to Francisco Goldman and Junot Diaz on Radio Ambulante

1. Alarcón, Daniel. ”Junot y Francisco : En vivo desde Nueva York.” Radio Ambulante. February, 2013. http://radioambulante.org/es/ I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this interview, and look forward to discussing many of the issues the authors discussed in a future post. I also highly recommend listening to Radio Ambulante, which I have compared to This American Life for Latin Americans and Latinos living in the United States.

 

Reflecting on the Rios Montt ruling & introducing reflections on Judaism and Guatemalan Human Rights

On January 28, 2013, judge Angel Galvez ruled that former Guatemalan general Efraín Rios Montt and intelligence officer José Mauricio Rodríguez Sánchez would stand trial for genocide and crimes against humanity. This announcement, which according to the Guatemala Human Rights Commission’s News Roundup, “drew a large crowd which included many survivors of the armed conflict as well as journalists, retired military personnel, and human rights activists” fell one day after International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th.

When I think about these two dates and how they connect in my mind, I also mull over what Judaism means to me. I think about how Judaism taught me empathy. In learning the story of the Holocaust, it was not only 6 million of my own people who were massacred, it was all people perceived as different and less than–political activists, people with disabilities, the Romani (Gypsies), gays, lesbians, and transgendered people.

As a conclusion to my delegation with GHRC, my fellow delegates and I had talked about next steps for outreach and activism around Guatemalan land rights and women’s rights. During the delegation, I had observed many parallels to the historical oppression that Jewish people had experienced and Guatemala’s past and present day struggles.

Having recently returned from Guatemala and Israel, I wish to pursue this connection. More specifically, I will explore the intersection and commonalities that exist in the histories of Guatemala and the Jewish people. These explorations written here on my blog will address history, culture, society, art, and politics, with a focus on how both peoples’ have suffered oppression for belonging to ethnic minority grops.

One goal of these explorations is to raise awareness within the Jewish community of the rich history of our own people as well as the complexities of the human rights situation in Guatemala. My goal is that through learning about these intertwining histories, the Jewish community will become engaged in promoting and protecting human rights in Guatemala.

Learn More about Efraín Rios Montt and José Mauricio Rodríguez Sánchez’s Trial

1. Mychalejko, Cyril. “Ríos Montt and the Need for International Accountability for War Crimes in Guatemala.” Guatemala Human Rights Updates. February 13, 2013. http://ghrcusa.wordpress.com/2013/02/13/rios-montt-and-the-need-for-international-accountability-for-war-crimes-in-guatemala/ Cyril Mychalejko, an editor for Upside Down World, online magazine addressing politics in Latin America, has written an article that gives valuable historical context of the genocide that occurred during Ríos Montt’s administration as well as the support he received from United States President Ronald Reagan.

2. Malkin, Elizabeth. “Ex-dictator is ordered to trial in Guatemala for War Crimes.” New York Times. January 28, 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/world/americas/ex-dictator-is-ordered-to-trial-in-guatemala-for-war-crimes.html?ref=efrainriosmontt This article provides a clear explanation of the trial.

Learn More about Holocaust Remembrance 

1. Gera, Vanessa. “International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2013: Victims Mourned At Auschwitz And Beyond.” The Huffington Post. January 27, 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/27/international-holocaust-remembrance-day-2013_n_2561839.html This article describes how Poland and other European countries honor January 27th as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The article concludes with a quote from President Obama that also illustrates why the ruling against Efraín Rios Montt and José Mauricio Rodríguez Sánchez is an important step forward in enabling Guatemalans to commemorate the lives lost in genocide: “”Many brutal crimes have been left without punishment, redemption and commemoration….I want to believe that by remembering the death and suffering of the victims the new generations will be obliged to fight any form of prejudice, racism and chauvinism, anti-Semitism and hatred.”

My time in Guatemala

After returning from Guatemala, it feels difficult to find the suitable place to start describing my journey. Many shifts have occurred, both within my own journey, and in the world. A historic update that I will describe in my next post, Efrian Rios Montt and Jose Rodriguez Sanchez will stand trial for charges of  genocide.

Relating to the theme of hard-won justice, as I mentioned in my previous post, November 2012 also marked a journey for German Chub Choc. On November 23, 2012, German Chub Choc along with four other community members from El Estor traveled to Canada to seek justice in the Canadian Legal System for the harms HudBay Minerals committed against them. The other members of the delegation from El Estor were Community Leader Maria Cuc; Angelica Choc, who is the widow of murdered leader Adolfo Ich; Rosa Elbira and Margarita Caal, representing eleven women from the remote village of Lote 8. At the end of my post, I have linked to an article and two videos covering the delegation. These three sources all emphasize the great courage, patience, and persistence of the delegation for seeking justice in a foreign court.

My fellow students and I along with teachers, caretakers, and coordinators, standing in front of the Mountain School

To move onto my own journey to a foreign country, I studied at La Esceula de la Montaña/the Mountain School for three weeks. During those three weeks, I studied Spanish for four hours each day, and I ate all my meals with families who lived in two local communities, Fatima and Nuevo San Jose. The communities’ partnership with the School provides them with a stipend and gives us students an opportunity to learn about rural Guatemalan life. More than learn, I was tremendously humbled by the families’ hospitality and moved by their stories of how they came to live in the area. The residents of both Fatima and Nuevo San Jose originally lived and worked on coffee plantations where the plantation owners exploited them. After struggling for their rights to wages, both communities obtained hard-won victories whose terms required them to leave their homes and resettle elsewhere. I have written the full stories of Fatima and Nuevo San Jose as testimonies in English and Spanish.  The Spanish versions are in the process of being checked for accuracy by the communities, after which, I would be happy to share them on my blog.

I arrived at La Escuela de la Montana with a fifty pound tote bag, that one of the school’s caretakers, Ruben, generously carried from the Minerva Bus Terminal to the School’s Gate. The tote bag held 45 Spanish books, the majority of which were fiction and non fiction generously collected by my friend Agnes from the Racine Public Library in Wisconcin. I also brought books on the topics of Guatemalan and Latin American Human Rights donated by the Guatemalan Human Rights Collection, as well as Mayan story books and a Spanish translation of Louisa May Alcott´s ¨Little Women¨(Mujercitas), which my friend purchased from Guatemala City´s book fair in the Central Park (Parque Central).

I developed a plan to re-organize the various sections of the library in a classification system based on age level and Guatemala educational system. I chose this system after speaking with the library worker and Mountain School Coordinator and learning about the library’s goals to provide resources to help students with their homework and promote literacy among people of all ages.  The library implemented this classification plan in December, and books were easier for the community to locate and for the library worker to maintain. Now back in the United States, I am planning a fundraising and outreach campaign for the Community Library. I look forward to sharing updates on this project.

Learn more about The El Estor Delegation to Canada

1. The Canadian Channel CBC covered two news stories documenting the journey of the El Estor delegation to seek justice in Canada’s courts.  In addition to the five delegates, the story features Grahame Russell from Rights Action. CBC The National. ”The Long Road.”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0O2sJtLqiw and CBC The National.  “Seeking Justice” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fkT3vLA6qg

2. Russell, Grahame. Rights Action. “Clashing World Views at the Crossroads.” December 20, 2012. http://upsidedownworld.org/main/guatemala-archives-33/4040-guatemala-canada-clashing-world-views-at-a-crossroads Grahame Russell accompanied the El Estor Delegation to Canada, and recounts the experience in this thoughtful article. 

Learn more about The Mountain School & Otto Renee Castillo Library

1. La Escuela de la Montana. ”Community Library.” December 26, 2011. http://www.escuelamontana.org/our-projects/communitylibrary.html This is the official website for La Escuela de la Montana (the Mountain School)’s Otto Renee Castillo Community Library.

Mi tiempo en Guatemala

Después mi retorno a Guatemala, parece difícil encontrar el lugar para comenzar a describir mi travesía. Hay muchos cambios, en mi travesía y en el mundo. Un cambio histórico que describiré en mi próximo mensaje, es que Efraín Ríos Montt y José Rodríguez Sánchez tendrán un juicio por genocidio.

En el tema de justicia, como dije en mi mensaje anterior, en Noviembre de 2012, German Chub Choc se embarcó en una travesía. El y otras cuatro personas de El Estor fueron a Canadá para buscar la justicia en el sistema legal de Canadá por los abusos que la compañía de minería HudBay Minerales cometió. Los cuatros otros, Los otros cuatro de la delegación eran el líder María Cuc; Angélica Choc, la viuda del líder Adolfo Ich; Rosa Elbira y Margarita Caal, las ultimas dos representaban a las once mujeres del Lote 8 que los policías de HudBay violaron. Al final de mi artículo, hay enlaces a un artículo y dos documentales que describían la delegación. Los tres describen el coraje, persistencia, y paciencia de la delegación por el acto de buscar justicia en un tribunal extranjero.

Para describir mi travesía en un país extranjero, estudié en La Escuela de la Montaña por tres semanas. Durante las tres semanas, estudiaba español por cuatro horas cada día, y comía todas las comidas con las familias que viven en dos comunidades locales que se llaman Fátima y Nuevo San José. Las comunidades tienen una relación con la Escuela en que las familias reciben un estipendio  y los estudiantes reciben una oportunidad para aprender sobre la vida rural Guatemalteca. Además de, estaba conmovida por la hospitalidad de las familias y sus testimonios sobre cómo se mudaron a las aldeas. Las personas de Fátima y Nuevo San José eran trabajadores en las fincas de café donde el dueño los explotaba. Después de una lucha por sus derechos y dinero, las comunidades obtuvieron la victoria que necesitaban y como consecuencia tuvieron que irse sus casa y encontrar una nueva comunidad para vivir. Escribí los testimonios de Fátima y Nuevo San José en inglés y español. Las versiones en español están  en el proceso de validación por las comunidades. Después, quiero compartir los testimonios en mi blog.

Llegue a La Escuela de la Montaña con un bolsa de cincuenta libras, y Rubén, un seguridad de la escuela la llevó de la terminal Minerva a la puerta de la Escuela. La bolsa tenía cuarenta y cinco libros dentro, la mayoría eran las novelas y los libros educativos que mi amiga Agnes recogió de la biblioteca pública de Wisconsin. Hay libros de los temas de la historia y los derechos humanos de Guatemala, que fueron donados por la Comisión de los derechos humanos de Guatemala. Mi amiga Kathryn compró los cuentos Mayas y las novelas en la feria en la Ciudad de Guatemala.

Creé un plan para reorganizar las secciones de la biblioteca en un sistema basado de la edad y el sistema educativo en Guatemala. Elegí ese sistema después de hablar con la mujer que trabaja en la biblioteca y la coordinadora de la Escuela. Ellas me dijeron sobre la meta de la biblioteca para dar los libros que ayudan los estudiantes con su tarea. Ellas quieren promocionar la alfabetización con la gente de todas las edades. En diciembre, la biblioteca implementó ese plan, y después los libros eran más fáciles para que  la comunidad los encontrara y para que  la bibliotecaria mantuviera. Ahora, estoy planeando una campaña para aumentar los fondos para la biblioteca. Espero compartir ese plan pronto.

Para aprender más sobre la delegación El Estor a Canadá

1. Dos documentales en la noticia de Canadá.Los documentas son en Ingles.“The Long Road.”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0O2sJtLqiw and CBC The National.  “Seeking Justice” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fkT3vLA6qg

2. Un artículo  en ingles por un director de Rights Action, Grame Russell, que acompañaba la delegación. Russell, Grahame. Rights Action. “Clashing World Views at the Crossroads.” Diciembre 20, 2012. http://upsidedownworld.org/main/guatemala-archives-33/4040-guatemala-canada-clashing-world-views-at-a-crossroads

Para aprender más sobre la Escuela de la Montaña y la Biblioteca Comunitaria Otto Rene Castillo

1. La Escuela de la Montana. ”Community Library.” Diciembre 26, 2011. http://www.escuelamontana.org/our-projects/communitylibrary.html

A new journey for EdgyAmelia

Over time the focus of my blog EdgyAmelia has expanded outward from its initial vision. I started my blog as a forum to share information regarding disability rights connected to the story of German Chub Choc. This blog began as a counterpoint to my Etsy Store EdgyAmelia, where I sold crafts to raise funds that would enable German Chub Choc, a Mayan Q’eqchi human rights defender with a disability, to live more independently.

As my posts on EdgyAmelia increased, so did my interest in learning more about the forces that shaped German’s life. Now, I have the opportunity to put this interest into action. For the month of November, I will study Spanish at an Immersion School called La Esceula de la Montaña/the Mountain School, located in the mountainous coffee growing region Colomba. I will also contribute my expertise in library services as a volunteer at the Mountain School’s Community Library. I am excited to report that donations from the Racine Public Library and the Guatemalan Human Rights Commission (GHRC) will add 39 books to the Community Library.

Following my month at the Mountain School, I will test out my newfound abilities in Spanish in a professional environment at Transitions Foundation, an organization that provides comprehensive rehabilitative, educational and vocational services to Guatemalans with disabilities. My interest in Transitions Foundation was sparked when I learned that German Chub Choc underwent rehab there, and grew when I met Co-Director John Bell during my delegation with GHRC.

To explain how my time in Guatemala will affect EdgyAmelia:

• I have put my Etsy Store  on hiatus until my return to the United States
• I will continue to use my blog to share my experiences in Guatemala, with an emphasis on Guatemalans with disabilities framed against broader issues in the disability rights movement

Although I have paused my blog posts from my most recent trip to Guatemala on the Guatemala Human Rights Commission’s Women in Resistance Delegation due to planning for my upcoming trip, my remaining delegation posts are outlined and forthcoming. I look forward to sharing my remaining stories from the memorable week.

As I draw this post to a close, I would like to circle back to the individual who set my journey into motion. In the past two months, exciting updates to German’s story have occurred. One such development is the arrest of Mynor Padilla, the private security guard hired by the nickel mining company HudBay Minerals, who shot German in an unprovoked attack in 2009. A second update is the upcoming release of the documentary film, Defensora, which chronicles German and his community’s pursuit of justice for the harms HudBay Minerals inflicted upon them. The trailer and more information regarding Defensora are available at this link: http://www.indiegogo.com/defensora

Learn more about The Mountain School

http://www.escuelamontana.org/

Learn more about The Otto René Castillo Community Library

http://www.escuelamontana.org/our-projects/communitylibrary.html

Learn more about Transitions Foundation

http://transitionsfoundation.org/

Community in Resistance San Jose del Golfo

In our conversation at the Embassy, GHRC Director Kelsey Alford Jones had encouraged officials to meet with indigenous communities to hear their perspectives regarding development. It was fitting then, that our last delegation meeting brought us to San Jose del Golfo, where we met with community members who had established a peaceful roadblock to prevent Kappes, Cassiday & Associates from setting up a gold mining project in their community. At the time of our meeting in August 11, 2012, San Jose del Golfo’s protest had been going on 5 months.

As we drove up the long winding path on the way to San Jose’s roadblock, delegation co-leader Rob Mercantante pointed to a spot on the pavement and said, “that was where Yolanda was shot.” Yolanda Oqueli was a resident of San Jose, who had an active role in leading protests against the gold mine. When I had applied to participate in the delegation back in June, Yolanda was included in the roster of activists we had planned to meet. But on June 13, she was shot at three times by two men on motorcycles while leaving the roadblock at 6:30 pm.  One bullet entered above her right kidney. Yolanda has since recovered, but watching the spot on the road recede made my stomach churn, and was a powerful reminder of how violence looms over and so easily threatens San Jose’s peaceful resistance.

When we arrived at the roadblock, which was arrayed with colorful banners protesting the mine and expressing solidarity with the people of San Jose, we were welcomed by many men and women of the community. Antonio “Tono” Reyes introduced himself as a leader. He gestured to show us that the community has set up a stage and sound system for gatherings, and people bring their guitars to play. He explained that community members are present at the roadblock 24 hours each day in rotating shifts, and they have also set up a bathroom, kitchen, and enclosure for people to sleep.

We listen to San Jose del Golfo explain their peaceful resistance against Canadian gold mining company Kappes, Cassidy, and Associates

We joined the community in a circle, and an American nun named Sister Danni translated Tono’s words into English. After learning our delegation’s theme “Women in Resistance,” Tono commented on the valuable role that women have played in San Jose’s peaceful protest. Sister Danni added, in fact, this protest was started by a women. She elaborated: On March 2, 2012, a San Jose resident named Estella was working at a bank when she saw people driving mining equipment toward San Jose, and overheard officials at the bank discussing that the mining project was on its way to their community. Aware of the harmful environmental and health effects of gold mines, which use toxic chemicals to extract the gold from the rocks, Estella immediately left the bank, and drove her car into the road at the point where the construction trucks were poised to enter.

The drivers honked, and after Estella refused to move, the drivers came out and yelled at her. They called “stupid,” and threatened run her over unless she got out of their way, but Estella remained in the road. Soon, two women from the community showed up alongside her, and Estella was nervous, unsure her neighbors would react to her one-woman blockade. But the women got out of their cars and told her, “we are here, Estella. We are here with you.”  Thirty minutes later, 1,000 people joined Estella’s blockade, now in its fifth month.

Tono explained that so many members of the community were motivated to join Estella in the roadblock because the people of San Jose “view all life in a holistic way.” This perspective gives them an understanding of how the mine will harm community and environmental health, even though Kappes, Cassidy and Associates claims the mine will bring economic benefits. Tono reported that the process of separating gold from rocks requires toxic chemicals that end up in the water supply. In San Marcos, where the Goldcorp company established the Marlin Mine, residents have suffered from outbreaks of cancer, skin rashes, and eye aliments.

Tono continued to share that although many members of the community have joined the peaceful protest, some members of the community support the mining project. The mining company has taken advantage of these diverging views to spread conflict. One way the mining company tries to divide the community is through gossip, and the mining company has spread a rumor that women participating in the protest are prostitutes who go to the roadblock to solicit men.

But, Tono noted, the women who participate in the protest are “armed with peace, truth and justice.” He acknowledged that the mining company’s efforts to tear San Jose’s community fabric, have united the people participating in the protest. He added that they are “only rebelling against injustice” and committed to continuing nonviolent resistance. ”If there are deaths and flowing blood, it will be ours.” His heartfelt words provided a fitting opportunity for GHRC to honor San Jose del Golfo for their peaceful resistance with the Sister Alice Zachmann Human Rights Defender Award. Tono accepted the award, named for GHRC’s founder at GHRC’s 30th Anniversary Celebration in September, 2012.

Our delegation stands with San Jose del Golfo

Learn more about San Jose del Golfo’s peaceful resistance

1. Guatemala Human Rights Commission. “One year of resistance against mine in San Jose del Golfo.” March 5, 2013. http://ghrcusa.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/weekly-news-round-up-8/#more-1905 GHRC’s news update describes and links to a Prensa Libre article regarding San Jose del Golfo’s celebration of one year of resistance against the mine on March 3, 2013.

2.  Guatemala Human Rights Commission. “La licencia de la mina El Tambor debería ser suspendida.” February 15, 2013. http://ghrcusa.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/la-licencia-de-la-mina-progreso-vii-derivada-el-tambor-deberia-ser-suspendida/ Robert Robinson and Steve Laudeman conducted an Environmental Impact Assement of the land in San Jose del Golfo and San Pedro Ayampuc slated for gold mines. The photoessay from GHRC documents the men’s visit to the roadblock to share the assessment’s results. The essay is written in Spanish, but is easily translated with the browser Google Chrome.

On December 7 2012, anti-riot police disrupted San Jose’s peaceful resistance

1. Guatemala Human Rights Commission. “Communities in Resistance in San Jose del Golfo Under Attack.” December 8, 2012. http://ghrcusa.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/communities-in-resistance-in-san-jose-del-golfo-under-attack/ GHRC’s photoessay provides detailed documentation of December 7th’s attack.

2. Waqib’ Kej Convergencia. ”La Puya, viernes 7 de diciembre de 2012, intento de desalojo.” December 7, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiGM7M9q9TM. This 1 minute video, in Spanish without subtitles, features Yolanda Oqueli denouncing the attack.

Learn more about harmful health, environmental, & social impacts of mining in Guatemala

1. CucGuatemala. ”Otra Vez la Mina.”  May 10, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq5wA0XGrEg. This seven minute film, in Spanish without subtitles, provides an informative overview of the situation regarding the mine. The film also features powerful footage of Yolanda Oqueli speaking about the mine and blockade.

Learn more about anti-mining activist Yolanda Oqueli

1. Waqib’ Kej Convergencia. ”Yolanda Oquelí esta resistencia se fortalece con los ataques de la minera.” November 12, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGElSaKgx8k  This four-minute film, in Spanish without subtitles, shows Yolanda speaking to the people of San Jose. Community leader Don Alvaro, from San Pedro Ayampuc who plays a key role in speaking out against the Tambour mine in his community, is in the audience, visible at :38. San Pedro Ayampuc was also honored with the Sister Alice Zachmann Human Rights Defender Award, which Don Alvaro accepted at GHRC’s 30th Anniversary Celebration.

2. Paley, Dawn. “Guatemala: Peaceful Resistance in the Face of Violence.” Upside Down World. October, 24, 2012. http://upsidedownworld.org/main/guatemala-archives-33/3934-guatemala-peaceful-resistance-in-the-face-of-violence Journalist Dawn Paley describes Yolanda’s first public speech since she was attacked in June. This essay provides a valuable written complement to the film linked above.

Women in Resistance–Meeting Sandra Moran

After our meeting with ISMU, we traveled to Casa Artesana for a conversation and dinner with artist-activist Sandra Moran at Casa Aretsana. Casa Artesana is an artists’ collective, that includes an open-house and cafe, and is part of the umbrella organization Women’s Sector.

The name “Casa Artesana” is a wordplay on “artisan” and its Spanish meaning of (arte sana) “art heals.” After introducing herself, Sandra explained that Casa Artesana provides an important  outlet for Guatemalans’ energy and creativity, which will disappear if it is not channeled.

The wall at Casa Artesana’s entrance reads: “Casa Artesana: House of Women. The house is open to diverse people for sharing life, the creative act, and transgression.”

Like so many of the activists we met, Sandra’s demeanor spoke to a deep inner wisdom stemming from her lived experience. Setting her apart though, was her emotive artistic energy, ever-present as she gave us a tour of Casa Artesana, and explained that the vibrant paintings adorning the walls were created by women incarcerated in Guatemala’s prison system. Many of these paintings had the common theme of maternity and pregnancy in prison.

This painting on the wall of Casa Aretesana is a powerful visual testament to the experience of the painter as a woman pregnant in prison.

Sandra added that although there are organizations in Guatemala that aim to reform the prison system, which is controlled by current and former members of the military, Casa Artesana is the only organization that works with incarcerated women. Casa Artesana introduced art programs to incarcerated women in 2008.

I love this painting, and seeing it on the walls of Casa Artesana felt like a special message linking disability and Guatemalan women’s rights. Mermaids are popular symbols for women with spinal cord injury, who feel like “landlocked mermaids.”

Casa Artesana also provides services to promote the economic self-sufficiency and wellbeing of the 1,2000 women in Guatemala’s 9 prisons. One such program is clothing donations, which give women materials to sew and sell handcrafts to other inmates and visitors.  Casa Artesana also advocates for improved living conditions in the prisons, and does political education trainings so that women will understand their rights, how the system works, and how to press charges for inhumane treatment. Casa Artesana has also established a phone line that women can use to call for help or make denouncements if they have been attacked or tortured.

Sandra continued that Casa Artesana is also working to establish separate prisons for women and men. She shared that many women of the women are from countries outside Guatemala, such as Venezuela and Colombia, and are charged with drug trafficking and organized crime. Although they participated in the crimes for which they are incarcerated, many times women were unwilling or unwitting victims who had been kidnapped or extorted.

In Guatemala’s prison system, some women wait for as long as six years to be sentenced. Children between the ages of 0-4 years old are allowed to stay with their mothers in prison. Casa Artesana takes care of children 4 years and older, identifying scholarships so that children are not sent to a “third-party” because most extended families of the incarcerated women are too poor support the children.

Following our tour of Casa Artesana, we sat with Sandra as she shared her own story with us. She is from Guatemala City, and joined the human rights movement at age fourteen. She attended the University of San Carlos in the 1980s, when violence against students was on the rise. She went into exile in Mexico and Canada to escape the violence. During her years in exile, she participated in solidarity work, developed her musical talents, and joined Canada’s women’s movement. After the signing of the Peace Accords, she returned to Guatemala City. Upon her return, she came out as a lesbian, and has been victimized because of her sexuality.

She has emerged as a leader in Guatemala’s women’s movement, and explained to us that she is “committed to understanding systems of oppression from different points of view.” She stated that, to create positive social change, activists must confront internalized beliefs of racism, homophobia, and other prejudices before addressing external systems of oppression. She insightfully commented that indigenous people are trying to re-value themselves against this external system, and are faced with an additional assault of structural violence that prevents them from valuing who they are.

Then, she opened the conversation up to us for questions, and we continued onto a dynamic conversation that spanned from the history of feminism to life for people with disabilities in Guatemala. Listening to Sandra share her breadth of knowledge regarding Guatemala’s history of social justice and observing the engaged flow of conversation from my fellow delegates, was immensely invigorating.

Sandra concluded our talk with the statement, “women are finding ways to confront the struggle, and we need to learn from the history of resistance.” She then abruptly grabbed her drum and sang a song titled “Mujer” (Woman).

Her rhythmic words and drumbeats reverberated in a profound way for each of us delegates. One delegate, a drummer, was deeply moved by Sandra’s performance, and told me she “had never heard anything like that before.” For me, Sandra’s song set to music our special week of “Women in Resistance.”

Sandra Moran drumming “Mujer”

Learn more about Sandra Moran and Casa Artesana

1. Moran, Sandra. “Mujer Maiz Mujer.” March 14, 2010. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9no4r1NIXI This youtube video of Sandra Moran singing and drumming “Mujer Maiz Mujer” is a dynamic performance, but does not give justice to the vital energy that comes across in her real-life performance.

2. Moran, Sandra. “Sandra Moran about Casa Artesana.” June 14, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huNjSAP3XOc This youtube video shows Sandra Moran speaking in English about Casa Artesana’s founding.

3. Gonzalez, Elma. “Activist Shares Turbulent Past.” The Ithacan. April 4, 2011. http://theithacan.org/12009 This interview between Sandra Moran and a staff writer from Ithaca College’s newspaper the “Ithacan” gives a more detailed glimpse into the varied stages of Sandra’s life.

4. Alford-Jones, Kelsey. “A Grassroots Activist on the Frontlines of the Women’s Movement.” Peace x Peace Blog. March 23, 2011. http://www.peacexpeace.org/2011/03/a-grassroots-activist-on-the-frontlines-of-the-women-movement/ GHRC Director Kelsey Alford-Jones’s blog post describes Sandra Moran’s inspiring role as leader in Guatemala’s women’s movement.