NEWSLETTER

Latin American Solidarity Committee of the Western New York Peace Center
Fall 2015

The Other Dreamers

Rufino Santiz sits in the rough floored, plank walled kitchen of his parental home in Chamula, Chiapas,
Mexicos southernmost, poorest and most indigenous State. He holds out a photo of his high school
graduation in California. On his hand he proudly wears his graduation ring. But he cant go back there.

Rufino was unable to go to college in the US where he lived since the age of 5 because he was undocumented. He decided to return to Chiapas, where his parents had returned years ago, to try his luck there.

He found himself unable to attend university there because he lacked the appropriate papers. He found
himself often regarded as an outsider in his community of birth. He
hadnt spoken the Tzotzil language for years. He had never really
learned Spanish. He thought of himself as American. He didnt want
to work for a dollar a day.

A year later he is making progress. He married a woman from his

village and they have a child. He is starting university. He works in a
gallery of indigenous artists in the city of San Cristobal and lives
there with trips to his village on weekends. He sees some of the
positives of the communal culture, though he is still largely an
outsider. In some sense, he is a young man without a country.

The high point of his last several months was a trip to Mexico City to
attend a gathering of the Other Dreamers, young people who grew
up in the US but were deported or came back like Rufino to attend
school. He beams as he tells me, I was able to talk to everyone in
English. And he was able to share stories with others like himself.

Rufino dreams of teaching English as a second language in other

countries and of some day returning to the US.

Rufino will be featured in Mayan Faces in a Smoking Mirror, a forthcoming

documentary by Bill Jungels and Christine Eber. His photo will be included in

La Lucha, an exhibit by Bill Jungels at Casa de Arte on September 26, 2015.

To obtain textiles from womens weaving cooperatives in highland Chiapas, Mexico go to:
www.weaving-for-justice.org
Facebook: Weaving for Justice

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A group of Americans, including some from Western New York, traveled to Cuba
without a license to challenge U.S.government policy towards Cuba. Sunday, (August 2) they crossed the
Peace Bridge into Buffaloand publiclyconfronted Customs Officials on their way back into the United States.
The Venceremos Brigade chanted, Cuba s, bloqueo no meaning Cuba yes, blockade no.Miguel
Rodrigueza group leader said, We are here in protest of the travel ban placed on Cuba, and in protest of the
economic blockade that is placed onCuba. He saidthe group believes the travel ban is unconstitutional and
the blockade is inhumane. Cuba has a right to determine its own sovereignty, its own path, its own will, he
said.
This group of 45 traveled from Cuba to Canada, and from Canada to the United States to demonstrate their
solidarity to the cause. Although they say theU.S.has made great strides towards normalizing relations
between the two countries over the past year,Rodriguez said this is only the first step in a long journey of
needed change.
Whats been changing, is the opening of embassies which helps to normalize conversations. The travel ban
and the blockade are very much in place, but because the embassies opened up, it encourages dialogues to
continue to happen, he said.
Since 1969 the group has traveled to Cuba annually and more than nine thousand Americans have seen Cuba
first hand. Rodriguez says they will continue to march until the travel ban and blockade are lifted and the
Guantanamo military base is returned to Cuba. He said, I think of Martin Luther King marching in Selma, I
think of all of my ancestors who have marched today, of the people who are coming over the bridge as I speak,
45 members, I think of the folks next year, and even the folks the year before.
If you would like more information: www.venceremosbrigade.org
www.lawg.org
Members of the LASC Task Force:
Wayne Alt
Mary Bisson
Terry Bisson
Ned Cuddy
Martin Gugino
Maxine Insera
Bill Jungels
Tom Potts
Marty Sawma
Carol Sundberg

Newsletter Published by: Latin American

Solidarity Committee, a task force of the
Western New York Peace Center, Inc.
1272 Delaware Ave,
Buffalo, New York 14209
Phone: (716) 332-3904
Email: director@WNYPeace.org
www.wnypeace.org

Pastors for Peace THANKS LASC for being part of the

26th US-Cuba Friendship Caravan with our material aid
& fund raiser BBQ on June 29th. A good time was had
listening & dancing to the music of Bill Nowak and
friends with vocals by Abby Unger. Gail Walker, IFCO
Executive Director especially thanks us for our generous
support (over $1000) that helps with their on going work.

ALSO P4P Medical School Program: This program at the Latin American School of Medicine,
in Havana, Cuba is coordinated by IFCO, Interreligious Foundation for Community
Organizations, with the participation of students from the US.
www.ifconews.org

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===========================================================================
LASC is a consistent and constant presence in Western New York. Our task force grew out of the National
Pledge of Resistance movement of the 1980s, when many of us worked to prevent US sponsored wars in
Central America. Over time, we expanded our work to accompany popular and indigenous movements of
the Western Hemisphere.
We work on Humanitarian Aid Projects and Assistance to Solidarity Organizations
there, and Education and Legislation here at home, through informational lectures and coffeehouses,
editorials, letter writing/telephone campaigns, congressional visits, petitions, and support of farmworker
issues, dental clinics in Chiapas and Nicaragua, Pastors for Peace aid caravans, community centers in
Chiapas, and many other projects. We link our Latin America issues to globalization, US militarism,
cultural tolerance, and the environment.
Our Coffeehouses are held 7- 9pm at the Canisius College - Science Hall (unless differently announced)
Parking lot off Main St. near Delavan. We encourage local people to share their projects and firsthand
experiences. For more information go to www.lascwny.org
Some Upcoming Events:
Sat. Sept 26 6-10 PM LA LUCHA: a zigzag path Photographs/videos/installation by Bill Jungels
NB: 7 PM multi-media Day of the Dead honoring those who died crossing the desert to USA
at Casa de Arte 141 Elmwood Avenue (between Allen and North) Buffalo, NY
Mon. Sept 28 Coffeehouse: award winner : Dreamers Among Us by Youth of Rural Migrant Ministry
Mon. Oct 26 Coffeehouse: Environmental Solidarity and Mining Injustice in Latin America
Mon. Nov 23 Buffalo & Cuba with Episcopal Bishop Wm. Franklin & others about improved ties w/Cuba
Nov 20-22 Vigil to Shut Down School of Assassins, at Ft Benning, GA www.soaw.org
And sign up for the Peace Centers Weekly News at weeklynews@wnypeace.org
We need people like you to bring their concerns to our planning meetings (7-9 pm at the Canisius
College call 835 4705) on the first Monday of each month: Oct. 5, Nov. 2, Dec. 7, To continue our
work, LASC needs your donation & personal involvement. Thank You! !
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WNY Peace Center

Latin American Solidarity Committee
1272 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14209

Address Service Requested

Latin American Solidarity Committee

September Coffeehouse
Rural & Migrant Ministry has the pleasure of announcing that the YOUTH ART GROUP of Rural
Migrant Ministry has won the Prize for BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT at the
Hudson Valley International Film Festival for their film

DREAMers Among US.

will be shown here with one of the film producers
7-9 pm Mon.
Sept, 28, 2015

at: Canisius College - Science Hall

Convenient parking lot off Main St. near Delavan

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