Dear DJPC Supporters,

It’s been a heavy summer with the horrific “Zero Tolerance” policy of the Trump administration. The events of the past few weeks remind us of why our work in educating the public on human rights abuses is so important. Immigrants and refugees now flowing into the U.S. are the victims of government breakdown and high levels of militarization in much of Central America. This has had much to do with U.S. intervention, both past and present, in those countries.

As a new board member for the past year, it’s been my pleasure and honor to learn from Director Rebeca Zúniga Hamlin, my co-board members, and the many supporters whom I’ve been fortunate enough to interact with in the DJPC. I am a longtime activist and organizer from the east coast and finding a community here in Denver has been very enriching for me both on a personal level and as an educator. I teach social work at the University of Denver (DU) and this includes building bridges between the academy and the community. Being part of the DJPC has fit well with this.

As a Latina, the work of dispelling racism and injustice perpetrated against Latinx and People of Color (POC) both in the U.S. and Latin America is very personal to me and is the main reason I have joined the DJPC. This political climate has reignited a fire in my belly to do what I can to respond to racist ignorance coming from the executive branch. One thing I hope to do is to promote our forums beyond the DJPC in an effort to expand our struggle to defend human rights. I will also be involved in two upcoming delegations planned for later this year. In the first, I will join activists from around the country at the annual SOA Watch Convergence at the border in Nogales (Arizona/Sonora) from November 16 to 18. We are also excited to be hosting another delegation to Chiapas, Mexico at the beginning of December. I will be leading a class from DU in coordination with the DJPC delegation tentatively scheduled for December 2 -7. If you are interested in joining either of these delegations, please email us at [email protected], and we will be happy to tell you more as plans unfold.

I want to take a moment to thank you for your help in making all we do at the DJPC possible. Thanks to you, the past year has been filled with forums, reports, publications, street action, and community get-togethers, all in the interest of protecting human rights. This includes:

• Demonstrating at the capital during the Global Day of Action Against Open-pit Mining;
  Hosting a delegation to Chiapas to learn how mining operations impact the environment and holding a forum for delegates to share their experiences;
• Submitting a report to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in coordination with the Chiapas NGO, Otros Mundos;
• Issuing updates on the Newmont mine in Peru and demonstrating outside the shareholders meeting against the company practice of open-pit mining and human rights violations;
  Working with universities and community groups to conduct educational presentations on the effects of large-scale metal mining;
• Presenting the National Roundtable Against Metallic Mining in El Salvador with the Global Peace and Justice Award and hosting a speaking tour by environmentalist Vidalina Morales;
  Hosting a delegation to the Arizona border to learn about the militarization of the border and the experience of refugees and migrants there; holding a forum for delegates to share their experience;
• Maintaining updates on the crackdown on dissent in Honduras, the rise of opposition in Nicaragua, the court case against Newmont, and the plight of families seeking to enter the U.S. at the southern border;
• Publishing articles on the social, political, and environmental impacts of large-scale commercial development in Latin America;
• Working, marching, and demonstrating in coalition with other human rights organizations;
  “Building for Peace” at La Casita in the Westwood neighborhood of Denver with a majority Latinx and Chicano population; and
• Continuing over four decades of the DJPC tradition in promoting justice and peace in the hemisphere!

Once again, we are asking you to stay with us in this struggle. If you are a sustaining member, many thanks for your ongoing support. Perhaps this is the time to add a few dollars to your monthly contribution? If you are not already a sustaining member, can you give $5, $10, $50 a month, or whatever is comfortable for you? Or perhaps you can make a one-time donation right now. How about $1 a day for social justice or $365 for the year? Every dollar goes directly into the fight for human rights and environmental and social justice in Latin America, the U.S., and beyond. Please make your tax deductible donation or send a check to: “DJPC Education Fund” and mail it to Denver Justice & Peace Committee, P.O. Box 12403 Denver, CO 80212.

In closing, I’d like to draw your attention to our wonderful new website, which you’ll find here, http://denjustpeace.org/. Also, please be sure to visit and “like” our Facebook page as we are adding new content with links to news articles and other media from around the Americas on a daily basis: https://www.facebook.com/DenverJusticeandPeaceCommittee/.

Together, we can make lasting justice and peace a reality. ¡Sí se puede!

In unity, paz y amor,Lorena Gaibor