L.A.S.C. wny

12/16/2022

* Western New York Peace Center *
* Latin American Cultural Association
* December 2022 Celebration

12/16/2022

* Western New York Peace Center *
* Latin American Cultural Association
* December 2022 Celebration

11/19/2022

LASC Peace Coffeehouse-7-9 pm Monday, Nov. 28,
Colombia's Future : Optimism & Realism
Canisius College Science Hall, near Main & Delevan metro

Speaker: Camilo Romero, co-founder of ReGeneracion, a peace-building initiative launched in Colombia and working globally. Camilo organized student and consumer campaigns as union organizer for Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores. He also leads Story-Healing Workshops, including a recent one in Buffalo; and Esperanza Altazar will help report on that.

While adjacent parking lot is closed during construction, use street parking along Main Street or in the parking lot at the M&T bank.

Please note the change from our original speaker for this date, Hon. Betty Calvo-Torres.

10/23/2022

Rights Action

Rights Action

Funding & supporting human rights & justice, land & environment defense struggles in Guatemala & Honduras

10/23/2022

Rights Action

October Peace Coffee House at Canisius College in Buffalo
GUATEMALA: MINING & MAYAN RESISTANCE
When: October 24, 7pm-9pm
Where: Canisius College, Science Hall, 2001 Main St, 14208

A talk around the new book: TESTIMONIO-Canadian Mining in the Aftermath of Genocides in Guatemala
Speaker: Grahame Russell, co-founder of Rights Action. Since 2005, Rights Action has supported Mayan communities against transnational mining abuses.
TESTIMONIO includes a series of testimonies from Guatemalan indigenous community defenders, plus analysis and reporting from lawyers and activists, journalists and scholars.

Books available at the event, thanks to BURNING BOOKS: https://burningbooks.com/
Published by Between The Lines:
https://btlbooks.com/book/testimonio, https://www.testioniothebook.org
Rights Action: [email protected], https://www.rightsaction.org

Funding & supporting human rights & justice, land & environment defense struggles in Guatemala & Honduras

10/23/2022

ReGeneración | Healing Through Story-Telling

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2022 AT 12 PM – 2 PM
"Cual es tu Paz?" Story-Healing Workshop
Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church-Buffalo, NY

ReGeneración welcomes you to our Global "What is your Peace?" Story-Healing Workshop hosted safely and in-person in Buffalo honoring the resilience of community for Day of the Dead! (Español abajo)
Conflict and its collective resolution applies to each of our families and all of our communities, especially during this coronavirus pandemic and consciousness-raising on Black Lives Matter. Each of us carries trauma from our own lives and that of generations before us. Our workshop is an opportunity to explore creative and interactive methods of rage and reconciliation.
Our workshop will center around community building with those in attendance through story-telling and performance. We will begin with introductions of each participant and explain the origins of ReGeneración as a movement for empowerment of those who have been invisibilized for generations. We will then discuss our children's book project - "Cual es tu Paz?" - and form small groups to act out "sociodramas", spontaneous performances that challenge us to utilize all parts of our selves to identify, confront, and resolve conflicts within our environment.
You are invited! And you are welcome to bring a friend. Zoom link & password will be provided after you confirm participation here. (If you don't use Facebook, just message us at +1 510 717 4227)
More details on ReGeneración and what we are doing, take a look:

Healing and community through creative story-telling! Sanación y comunidad al contar nuestra historias!

10/11/2022

Billy Bragg, British activist musician, on Elmwood Ave. Wednesday Oct. 12 at 1pm!

10/11/2022

October LASC Peace Coffeehouse, in person!
Speaker: Grahame Russell, co-founder of Rights Action.
Since 2005, Rights Action has helped Central American communities against trans-national mining abuses. His new book is a series of testimonies from Guatemalan indigenous leaders, lawyers, and activists.
Canisius College Science Hall at Main & Delevan near the NFTA metro station. Please Note: one parking lot is closed during construction, but there is street parking along Main St or in the parking lot by M&T Bank.

10/03/2022

7pm, Wed. Oct. 5, zoom event by ROCLA and LASC.
Ana Cortez is a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Her research focuses on the interactions between evangelical organizations and the State in creating public policy. Ms. Cortez holds a master’s degree in Human Rights and Citizenship, and a B.A. in International Relations and Social Sciences. She is a researcher for the Center for Metropolitan Studies and has extensive experience in designing and managing social and advocacy projects.
Event sponsored by: Rochester Committee on Latin America and Western New York Peace Center – Latin America Solidarity Committe

09/29/2022

POSTPONED: Climate Change Impacts: How Massachusetts Can Stand in Solidarity with Cuba – Massachusetts Peace Action

Intersections of Climate Change Impacts; Stand in Solidarity with Cuba.
Speaker Jessica Fernandez Casañas
Cuba has been severely impacted by Hurricane Ian and the power grid is fully knocked offline, so the speaker for this eent, Jessica Fernandez Casañas, cannot attend. There will be a rescheduled date in October.
Jessica Fernandez Casañas is head of the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba! Ms. Fernandez will discuss the Republic of Cuba’s plan for climate mitigation and resilience, and then have a Q&A about how people in the United States can look forward and create cooperative relationships with the people of Cuba as the impacts of climate change are felt all around the world. This event is being co-sponsored by Massachusetts Peace Action. There will be a Spanish interpreter present at the event.

« All Events This event has passed. POSTPONED: Climate Change Impacts: How Massachusetts Can Stand in Solidarity with Cuba Wed September 28 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm EDT « The Taiwan Policy Act — What’s That? All In! Preventing Nuclear War Means Defending Democracy » Cuba has been severely impacted...

09/22/2022

September LASC Coffeehouse, in person!
7-9 pm Monday Sept. 26. Canisius College Science Hall
WNY & Immigrant Detention: how to help
Speaker: Carra Stratton, of Justice for Migrant Families, on the Batavia Detention Center and how to volunteer to help those held and released.

Canisius College Science Hall at Main and Delevan near the NFTA metro station. Please Note: one parking lot is closed there during construction, but there is street parking along Main Street or in the parking lot by the M&T bank.

09/07/2022

https://rocla.org/events/trampling-on-democracy-us-foreign-policy-toward-latin-american-nations/

Use this link to join the free ROCLA email list and get access to this event.

09/07/2022

Here is an interesting zoom program from Massachusetts Peace Action (MAPA).

08/26/2022

Chiapas Diary by Elaine R. Chamberlain – Finishing Line Press

Chiapas Diary by Elaine R. Chamberlain – Finishing Line Press

“A richly sensory, deeply observed recreation of a piece of the world whose flavors range from wheezing buses to violent storms to yellow orchids and chiclet gum to the bitterness of desire and the death of children and the cruelty of war. Elaine Chamberlain sees it all—and smells and tastes it ...

07/28/2022

"Nicaragua, Anniversary Of A Revolution" Webinar, August 2, 2022" at 5 p.m. Click on this link to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dM5x3npBS-OLIuoKUBUAUQ


On July 19, Nicaragua celebrated the anniversary of its revolution that overthrew the US supported dictator Anastasio Somoza. A delegation of US activists were in Nicaragua to celebrate with the Nicaraguan people. Hear two member of the delegation speak about the event, the progress and struggles of the Nicaraguans and their role today in Latin American and international politics.
Speakers:
Margaret Kimberley
Dan Kovalik
Time
Aug 2, 2022 05:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
https://nepajac.org/unac_072622.html

07/26/2022

a poster from 1951, shown as part of a talk on Mark Rogovin's work in Mexico. The artists are Elizabeth Catlett and Alberto Beltrán, two of the most adept artists to join the Taller de Gráfica Popular in the post–World War II period, and this large, two-sheet print embodies the collaborative work that continued to be so central to the workshop’s practice, as well as the antiwar causes to which the Taller was particularly devoted during the 1950s. Catlett designed the image, and Beltrán executed the grandly scaled linocut, which was used for a poster advertising the Primer Congreso Nacional por la Paz (First National Peace Congress), held in Mexico City in May 1951.

07/26/2022

Our friends across the border in Canada invite us to a Cuba event!

07/16/2022

Rep. Vargas' Statement on his July 14, 2022 Meeting with Secretary Mayorkas Regarding Friendship Park along US-Mexico border: “Today, I had a productive discussion with Secretary Mayorkas regarding proposed border projects at Friendship Park in my district,” said Rep. Vargas. “I urged Secretary Mayorkas to pause all border remediation projects in and around Friendship Park and asked him to work with stakeholder groups moving forward. Friendship Park means a great deal to me, my constituents, and communities in our binational region. Since its inauguration in 1971, Friendship Park has been a testament to the U.S.-Mexico relationship and has allowed families to come together. While the current proposed projects do not include pedestrian gates, barring public access to the park, Secretary Mayorkas assured me that Friendship Park is at the top of his priorities and expressed his intent to keep the gates at Friendship Park. I remain committed to advocating on this crucial issue to ensure Friendship Park stays open and continues to serve communities on both sides of the border.”

Rep. Juan Vargas represents California’s 51st Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County
and California’s entire U.S.-Mexico border.

07/15/2022

El Buen Amigo, and Santiago's birthday!

07/14/2022

Cuba is Not a Sponsor of Terror!

ROCLA and LASC support this petition from CodePink

A crucial policy of the Trump administration remains, and that is Cuba’s presence on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. It is critical to Cuba’s ability to pursue economic, trade and humanitarian activities that it be removed immediately from the list.

06/21/2022

Challenging destructive U.S. policy towards Central America

Challenging destructive U.S. policy towards Central America

The White House put out a statement last week in which Vice President Harris announced "more than $1.9 billion in new private sector commitments to create economic opportunity in northern Central America" as part of the so-called U.S.

06/21/2022

🔴 Against the Wall: My Journey From Border Patrol Agent to Immigrant Rights Activist

Wednesday, June 21, 2022 2pm PT | 4pm CT | 5pm ET l

Virtual Book Release Event & Author Talk with Former Border Patrol Intelligence Officer & Whistleblower, Jenn Budd
Veterans For Peace - Boston, Smedley D. Butler Brigade -

Border Patrol Victims Network Red de Victimas de la Patrulla Fronteriza

Register here:
https://soaw.salsalabs.org/vsthewall/index.html

06/21/2022

As Latin America embraces a new left, the U.S. could take a back seat

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/20/petro-latin-america-left/

Leftist Gustavo Petro’s victory in Colombia was the most stunning example yet of how the pandemic has transformed the politics of Latin America.

06/20/2022

Gustavo Petro, president, Colombia. photo by Federico Rios for The New York Times

06/20/2022

Francia Márquez, vice president, Colombia: environmental activist from the mountainous department of Cauca in southwestern Colombia .Credit...Federico Rios for The New York Times

06/14/2022

Some good news: "New Ratification: Guatemala brings all of Central America on board the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty. "

06/08/2022

I submitted this as a Letter to the Editor at the Buffalo News on June 7; perhaps it will be published.

The Summit of Americas this week in Los Angeles should have brought together the countries of this hemisphere. We need solidarity across borders to address climate change, pandemics, economics, migration, and violence. But the AP column in the June 6 Buffalo News shows how much foolish policy can hurt the Americas. The US made a list of countries to exclude from negotiations, and this caused presidents from Mexico, Honduras, Guatamala, El Salvador and others to skip the summit.

We should instead remember the 2015 Summit of the Americas, when President Obama braved political fallout and shook hands with the Cuban president, leading to trade, cultural, and travel exchanges, easing hardships that force migrations.

In May, President Biden took tentative steps to normalize family reunification and travel to Cuba. It is sad that he didn't follow that track, but instead took bad advice about how to host the present Summit.

06/08/2022

U.S. bans Cubans from the People’s Summit!

If you happened to miss Code Pink "Capitol Calling Party: The Progressive Wave in Latin America" that happened on Tuesday, May 31st, here's a link to the recording of it:
https://youtu.be/lZ3Ei97TI24

Here, too, is some follow-up information from Shea:

"TAKE ACTION:
Urge your Representative to support Rep. Pressley's letter on reviewing Cuba policy! https://bit.ly/3PNF2CN

Tell SOS Blinken to Approve the Cuban Visas for People's Summit: https://www.codepink.org/cuba_summit_alert

RESOURCES:
June 8-10: Join us at the People's Summit for Democracy in Los Angeles, CA! More info here -- sign up here (includes virtual/streaming options).
All other resources from last night posted here.

Peace,
Shea"

Secretary of State Blinken: Approve the visas for the 23 Cubans invited to the People’s Summit!

06/06/2022

See info about a local Friendshipment event on zoom at 7pm, June 29, 2022. Note that you must register with IFCO in advance.

06/06/2022

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Rochester-Buffalo meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

Cuba: Biden & the Blockade: A zoom presentation for Upstate NY
Wednesday, June 29th, 7pm ET

On May 1st 2022 five million Cubans marched proudly in demonstrations all around the island in support of their revolution. Meanwhile tens of thousands have been leaving the country to escape an extremely difficult economic situation and try to cross the Mexican border into the US.

This is Cuba today, still working to build a society based on meeting the fundamental needs of all its people, still subject to brutal economic sanctions from the United States. Trump took the 62 year old economic blockade to new levels of intensity and for 16 months Biden did the same.

A few weeks ago Biden announced (but hasn’t yet implemented) some concessions to ease the blockade - to make travel to Cuba easier and to make getting visas for Cubans to legally enter the US easier. A door has opened slightly; we need to push it wide open! For 30 years IFCO/Pastors for Peace has been challenging the US blockade by taking people and humanitarian aid to Cuba on our annual Friendshipment Caravan. We are going again in July with 100 people and 5 tons of urgently needed medicines and medical supplies. But more important than the numbers and the aid is the message to the Cuban people, that they are not alone, that they have allies in the US who are working to end this blockade. With Guest Speakers:

Gail Walker: IFCO/Pastors For Peace Executive Director

Angie Langdon: IFCO/PfP Social Media Coordinator

Event sponsored by:
Rochester Committee on Latin America (ROCLA)
WNY Peace Center – Latin America Solidarity Committee
There will be time for Q+A and discussion  The event is a fundraiser for IFCO/Pastors for Peace
Register at the following link to receive a confirmation email containing information to join the meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrc-qvqz0jGtzu7UO2-F--RCBXIOVeFqsz

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Rochester-Buffalo meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

05/25/2022

Thanks to everyone who helped with the 35 year celebration of the LASC/WNY Peace Center Dental Clinic in Chiapas. Thanks especially to Hallwalls and to La Marimba and to ROCLA and to the Fr. Joseph Bissonette Foundation, and so many others.

05/25/2022

Timeline photos

We are sad to share that Zoe Zacharek, longtime member, passed away last month. Please join for a farewell party next Sunday, May 29th from 4-7 PM at the Adam Micklewicz Library & Dramatic Circle.

See flyer for full details. 🕊️

05/17/2022

Christine Eber will be at the Hallwalls event, Monday May 23, 7-9pm. She was pivotal in helping Tom Potts start the dental clinic in Chiapas 35 years ago, and helps the women weaving coop there distribute works though Weaving for Justice. She writes
"In Weaving for Justice we are thinking of you in Buffalo at this time of grief and outrage. We are connected in an interesting way to one of the reverends who was interviewed after the mass shooting - Rev. Darius Pridgen of the True Bethel Baptist Church. Two of his parishioners, The Masseys, are parents of Weaving for Justice steering committee member Crystal Massey. Her parents bought Rev. Pridgen a stola and he wears it in services. Here’s a photo of him wearing it."

05/10/2022

35th anniversary celebration and fundraiser for the LASC/WNY Peace Center free dental clinic serving a Maya community in Chiapas, Mexico. Monday May 23, 7-9pm, Hallwalls at Babeville, 341 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY

Please join us for an evening of live music by La Marimba, good company and powerful art as we celebrate and secure the continued existence of a free dental clinic in Chiapas, Mexico. For 35 years Buffalo dentist Tom Potts has been spending two or more months of each year providing free services. As Tom retired from active dentistry, we supported a young dentist there in completing his education. We now need to be able to help support him to provide these free services on a continuing basis. At the same time, the essential new equipment upgrade that we have made needs to be paid for. A freewill contribution of $20 is requested (students and limited incomes excepted).

The event coincides with an exhibit in the Hallwalls gallery by Savadoran/Canadian artist Osvaldo Ramirez Castillo who creates visual myth to express resistance.

05/03/2022

SUNDAY, MAY 15, 12:45PM-2:45PM. IN PERSON BUFFALO: Women's March WNY 2022. Lafayette Avenue & Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY. March together to Broderick Park (foot of Ferry) for the event. We will have a family area, guest speakers and performers. If you are able, please wear a shade of blue to the event; a color that represents peace and healing, as well as connects us to the mission of the Afghan Peace Volunteers. Email [email protected] for more information.

04/19/2022

Monday April 25, 7:00 pm LASC Peace Coffeehouse
Migration situations on the Arizona / Mexico Border.
Canisius College Science Hall, near Main and Delevan and the metro. Street parking on Main or in parking lot by the M&T bank.

Speakers: Lee Ann Grace and Howard Henry have volunteered for 30-plus years with Frontera de Cristo, the Presbyterian Border Outreach Program at the Douglas AZ / Agua Prieta SONORA Mexico border. In January and February 2022 they helped at the Migrant Resource Center (MRC) in Agua Prieta, responding to the needs of migrants being returned back to Mexico by the US Border Patrol. The MRC provides food, clothing, first aid, toiletries, toilet access and showers, plus emergency sleeping accommodation. It continually struggles to maintain a dining shelter and refuge from the wind and the cold. During Howard and Lee Ann's five weeks of service this year, more than 6000 persons sought assistance at the MRC. Come learn what they saw there.

If you need to zoom instead, please write to [email protected]

04/12/2022

Sunday April 24 at 3:00 pm, Concert for a Cause
University Presbyterian Church, 3330 Main Street, Buffalo
Free Will Offering for the Border Outreach Program where
Howard Henry and Lee Ann Grace volunteer, Mex/AZ border.
They will speak on their work at our April 25 Peace Coffeehouse

The Buffalo State Jazz Chamber Ensemble (trumpet, saxophone, guitar, bass and drums, plus vocalist, under the direction of Dr. Mark Filsinger) will perform a fundraising concert to assist migrant services provision on the Douglas AZ / Agua Prieta SONORA Mexico border.
All funds raised will go to Frontera de Cristo, the Presbyterian Border Outreach Program where Howard Henry and Lee Ann Grace have volunteered for 30+ years. Frontera de Cristo's leadership, encouragement and funding helped to form the Cafe Justo cooperative in 2002.

Funds raised will support unbudgeted repairs at the Migrant Resource Center (MRC) in Agua Prieta. The canvas sided outdoor dining shelter, where migrants can seek refuge from the wind and the cold, had its walls destroyed this past winter due to exceptionally high winds Replacement cost: $753.
The MRC building, which provides food, clothing, first aid, toiletries, toilet access and showers, plus emergency sleeping accommodation, must add an emergency exit from the second floor to meet new Mexican code requirements. Cost: $4590.
During Howard and Lee Ann's five weeks of service this year, 6000+ persons sought assistance at the MRC.
Mark your calendars! Enjoy superb music! Help minister to our vulnerable sisters and brothers served by the Migrant Resource Center.