SOA Watch Labor Caucus: SE Michigan Chapter

2016 UAW LABOR AND FRIENDS OF SOA WATCH LABOR DELEGATION

TO THE U.S./MEXCIO BOARDOR TO DEMAND A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN

U.S. POLICY

The border mobilization in Nogales was a way to fight for the closure of the School of

the Americas, and to work towards a world that is free of suffering and violence. We

cannot forget that many of our immigrant brothers and sisters are survivors of U.S.-

sponsored atrocities in Latin America. In calling attention to the militarization of the

border, we continue to demand an end to state-sponsored terrorism and violence

against our communities on both sides of the border.

We started our journey to the boarder by sending our first delegate to participate in

the events of SOA Watch’s Spring Days of Action in Washington DC that took place

April the 14th thru 18th. We lobbied our congressional leaders on behave of working

families concerned about the treatment of our brothers and sisters at home and abroad.

What did we ask?

Stopping Police Militarization in the U.S.

1. Cosponsor H.R. 1232, the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act

Respect for the Rights of Refugees /Asylum - Seekers, not

Militarization & Deportation

2a. Cut U.S. funding for plan Frontera Sur / Southern Border Plan /

Immigration Enforcement in Mexico

2b. TPS for Central American Refugees / Asylum Seekers in the U.S.

No Support for Impunity for Human Rights in Honduras

3a. Justice for Berta Cacers! - Support Independent Investigation for Assassination of Honduran Leader

3b. Suspend all U.S. "Security Aid" to Honduras

Bolivarian Hall of the Embassy of Venezuela

Saturday, April 16 - Peace, Life, & Justice Caravan from Latin America and U.S. Youth present "Creative & Courageous

Resistance to Militarism & State Violence" (Bolivarian Hall, 2445 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC)

Link to our video footage of this event https://www.facebook.com/pg/SOA-Watch-Labor-Caucus-SE-Michigan-Chapter-

1381978338790774/videos/?ref=page_internal

Reflecting on Our Communities a Global and Local Perspective

Building local awareness for the 2016 delegation to the U.S. Mexican Border began April 19th at Wayne State University. We were

invited by Amnesty International to present our workshop titled the Causes of Migration. There were 60 in attendance.

This link directs you to our Power point presentation http://www.slideshare.net/jerryking3194/causes-of-migration-rev4.

Our next opportunity to present our work shop, Causes of Migration was during Women Creating Caring Communities Day of

Workshops, August 20th. Our work shop had 7 participants in attendance. The event had over 50 participants attending various

workshops.

Below you will find links to video dialogues of the panel discussion that followed our joint workshop on the causes of migration and

its impact on families in Metro Detroit. This was a collaboration between SOA Watch Labor Caucus and Michigan United sponsored

by Metro Detroit APRI.

Part 1- Women Creating Caring Communities Workshop Series

https://www.facebook.com/groups/513555828833399/permalink/547304208791894/?qsefr=1

Part 2 - Women Creating Caring Communities Workshop Series

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194/videos/g.513555828833399/10207230917913781/?type=2&theater

Part 3 - Women Creating Caring Communities Workshop Series

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194/videos/g.513555828833399/10207231152959657/?type=2&theater

The Mobilization

Our first stop of the mobilization was to the Eloy Detention Center (1705 East Hanna Road, Eloy, AZ 85131). Hundreds of migrants,

students, members of religious communities, veterans, and human rights activists gathered outside of the Eloy Detention Center in

Arizona, to call for the release of the incarcerated migrants, for an end to profiteering of human suffering, and for justice for all.

Speakers addressed the connection between US militarization in Latin America and forced migration to the United States, and

described the horrors of living inside detention centers like private, for-profit CCA-run Eloy.

The links below are links to video and photos of our experience at the rally,

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194/videos/vb.1308792460/10207603882957674/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194/videos/vb.1308792460/10207604414610965/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194/videos/vb.1308792460/10207604226566264/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/ja.ramz/posts/10207012234999552

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10211313195650679&set=pcb.10211313200210793&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194/posts/10207618625886238

The next part of our journey was a Veteran-led march in Nogales to kick off on the U.S. side of a march to the boarder wall. We

joined approximately 1500 to 2000 people from across the US and Latin American to Say:

1. Close the School of the Assassins

2. End Militarization at Home and Abroad

3. Say Yes to Immigration

Links to video footage of our experience at the wall.

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194/videos/vb.1308792460/10207617514978466/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194/videos/vb.1308792460/10207617314173446/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194/videos/vb.1308792460/10207612769179824/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/greent31/videos/vb.1383980680/10211312792560602/?type=2&theater

Work Shop Sponsored by Metro Detroit A. Philip Randolph Institute

The last part of our journey was our work shop, over 65 people were in attendance. Empire Has No Boundaries: “Exploring the

Parallels of Labor and Immigration Struggles in the United States among People of Color”

This workshop explores the parallels of economic and social justice in the U.S. Drawing from the experiences of labor and immigrant

rights movement organizers, we’ll learn about building collective power across communities of color.

Presented by: Jerry King – SOA Watch Labor Caucus, Neidi Dominguez – AFL - CIO

These links will lead you to video from the workshop.

Links to segments of our work shop.

https://www.facebook.com/greent31/videos/vb.1383980680/10211304466152447/?type=2&theater

https://www.facebook.com/greent31/videos/vb.1383980680/10211304556634709/?type=2&theater

https://www.facebook.com/greent31/videos/vb.1383980680/10211304682317851/?type=2&theater

https://www.facebook.com/jerry.king.3194

SOA Watch Labor Caucus: SE Michigan Chapter would like thank UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada & the Estrada Fund,

THE BUCK DINNER, Metro Detroit APRI, UAW Local 140 Civil and Human Rights Committee for your support. We hope

to continue to build strong community relationships through our involvement and support of Social and Economic Activism!

SOA Watch Labor Caucus: SE Michigan Chapter

SOAW.ORG

LABOR DONATED