The focus of this popular education based workshop is globalization, migration, and the economic implications of these factors.  Come and learn how people are affected by neoliberal economic policies and how we can respond.  This workshop is filled with hands-on activities and sports a companion zine with resources and more.

Jordan Garcia is the Immigrant Ally Organizing Director for Coloradans for Immigrant Rights, a project of the American Friends Service Committee.  He serves on the board of directors for the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training and the Chinook Fund.  He believes that community organizing for systemic change can and will lead us to liberation.  Jordan has a BA in International Political Economy with an emphasis on Urban Studies from Colorado College.

Thursday, September 15

7:00-9:00PM

Denver Justice & Peace Committee

at Highlands United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall

3131 Osceola Street, Denver 80212

(corner of 32^nd and Osceola)

Free parking is available in the lot east of the building as well as along the street.

Enter through the door located on Osceola Street.

Website: www.denjustpeace.org | Phone: 303-623-1463 | E-mail:djpc@denjustpeace.org

Photo courtesy of www.cprguatemalaproject.org

Domingo Alvarez Ajanel and Pedro Bernal Raymundo, indigenous Mayans and members of the lead health team, will share about the work they are doing as health promoters in their communities and the work Promesa is doing in Guatemala. Promesa is a partnership between the Denver Justice & Peace Committee and several other organizations that seeks to improve health and primary health care delivery in indigenous villages in rural Guatemala.

Thursday April 7

7:00-9:00PM

Denver Justice & Peace Committee

at Highlands United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall

3131 Osceola Street, Denver 80212

(corner of 32^nd and Osceola)

Free parking is available in the lot east of the building as well as along the street.

Enter through the door located on Osceola Street.

The main theme evident in all of the interviews with Mexican citizens was that they had families to support, bills to pay, or simply were looking for a better life. They all knew that there were many dangers and much uncertainty associated with attempting to cross the border but they also viewed crossing as their only way to survive. Through discussion following the film, we heard firsthand accounts from those who recently returned from a Migrant Trail Walk in Arizona. They attested to how difficult the multi-day journey is and even mentioned that seasoned hikers found the task difficult after only a few days into the trip. They also reminded us that unlike immigrants that attempt the crossing, they had the comforts of adequate food, water, shelter, and medical assistance when necessary and still found the journey mentally and physically challenging. They walked approximately 10 miles a day for almost a week. I find that for the immigrants able to complete such a journey through unknown desert terrain with what they can bring on their back and only 2 gallons of water if that, and for those that fail yet continue to try again, this attests to their will and determination to achieve their goals for a better life. This determination also proves, for me, that no matter what obstacles are placed in front of them, they will continue to find ways across the border as long as the United States continues to equal hope.

Action Steps: While the film focused on enforcement at the border, we are also seeing an increase in enforcement in the interior. Gabriela Flora of AFSC was our speaker and related 3 proposed actions at this event. The most pressing is calling Governor Bill Ritter (303)866-2471 to tell him not to sign onto Secure Communities. Please call right away, and continue making calls through the month of July. Secure Communities is a program that would “send the fingerprints of anyone arrested and booked for anything to Immigration…[including] the wrongly accused and innocent victims of domestic violence.” This program “will create fear and mistrust in our communities.”

Stop Secure Communities Now flier

Another action step is a 24-hour fast beginning Sunday, August 1st at 6:00PM until Monday, August 2nd at 6:00PM. Those who wish to will “camp overnight outside the GEO Immigrant Detention Center” and the following 24 hours will have “ongoing educational opportunities, time for deeper reflection on solidarity and…prayer.”  The fast will be broken at AFSC’s monthly interfaith vigil at 30th and Peoria in Aurora.  Please see flyer for the various ways you can participate.

24-hour solidarity vigil and fast flier

The final proposed action is signing a faith-based petition asking Governor Ritter and the Colorado Legislature “to reject any legislation or policies resembling Arizona’s SB 1070, a law that denies due process for immigrants, increases the likelihood of racial profiling, and criminalizes those who offer direct aid for immigrants.” Instead, the petition states that “what is needed to fix our broken immigration system is leadership by the federal government…to enact humane, comprehensive immigration reform that reunites families and provides a pathway to legal status for those who are undocumented.”

Petition Document

Father Marco, "El Diablo"

Join us Saturday June 26th at 5PM as we view the premiere of this documentary at the DocuWest Documentary Film Festival.

This event is co-sponsored by DocuWest :  www.docuwestfest.com

DocuWest – We Have Issues! Awarded Best Film Fest 2010 by Westword           Festival Dates: June 23-27

DocWest looks to explore the world of our people, our politics, our societies, our history and ourselves through the lens of filmmakers from around the globe. Our objective is to present our audiences with stories that are not only astonishing and jarring, but awe-inspiring and thought-provoking; stories that enable dialogue and discourse to take place over the people, events or subjects presented in each film.

Father Marco, a humble priest from the mountains of Peru, is being followed. A private security firm is filming and photographing the priest’s every move; their meticulous reports are code-named The Devil Operation. Marco’s allies are murdered and tortured, but he and his disciples refuse to be victims. They turn their cameras on the spies and develop a counter-espionage plan that leads to South America’s largest gold mine, owned by the Newmont Mining Corporation of Colorado. For the past two decades, Father Marco has defended farming communities against the Yanacocha mine’s abuses, earning him the nickname The Devil. Peru is one of the world’s top gold producers and the state has ceded power to transnational corporations who guard their territory like outlaws in the Wild West. Film-maker Stephanie Boyd has spent 10 years documenting the farmers’ struggle and became caught up in this real-life political thriller.

Film website: http://www.guarango.org/diablo/menu-in.html |  Trailer: http://vimeo.com/10013863

Tickets: $5 Available online or at the door but if you buy them from DJPC, part of the proceeds will go to DJPC. You can send cash or check to DJPC 1212 Mariposa Street Denver, CO 80204- make sure you mention it is for “The Devil Operation” film ticket and include your name so we know who to hold the ticket(s) for. You can also come into the office and pay but we do not have the tickets in our possession as of yet. We will keep a track of names and the tickets will be available at the door on Saturday June 26.

Saturday June 26th 5:00PM

Foss Auditorium

at the American Mountaineering Center.

710 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401

Parking is Free

.pdf version of June flier: June Flier- Devil Operation