CRLN’s Solidarity 2024 Highlights
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Dear CRLN community and partners,
As 2024 comes to a close we want to share some highlights of our work together this year. Each of the highlights illustrates the different ways we are living out our mission together.
Since our beginning thirty-five years ago, we have revisited our mission statement several times and in March of 2016 we adopted the mission statement below:
CRLN builds partnerships among social movements and organized communities within and between the U.S. and Latin America. We work together through popular education, grassroots organizing, public policy advocacy, and direct action to dismantle U.S. militarism, neoliberal economic and immigration policy, and other forms of state and institutional violence. We are united by our liberating faiths and inspired by the power of people to organize and to find allies to work for sustainable economies, just relationships, and human dignity.
Building partnerships is at the very core of our mission. From our earliest days, we have partnered with people who are directly impacted by destructive U.S. policies and worked to change those policies. Our partners have always shaped our work together and we are working to deepen our partnerships. In our Highlights Report below, you will learn more about our delegation to Cuba and two delegations to Guatemala. In a historic event, we were able to host partners from the Centro Martin Luther King Center (CMLK) in Cuba after many years of visa denials by the US. Central American partners from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala shared testimonies with our community. In addition, we made new connections with other organizations in the Americas. Together with partners old and new, we discussed accompaniment and advocacy strategies.
Throughout our Highlights Report, you will see examples of how we work through popular education, grassroots organizing, public policy advocacy, and direct action. CRLN’s work this year was possible for three reasons: 1) our long history of accompaniment and advocacy 2) staff who have firsthand knowledge of transnational work and 3) And number three is YOU, our supporters, members, and our network. You make our work possible!
As we write this letter, we are meeting with national and local partners to equip our community to accompany those most impacted by the racist policies threatened by the new administration. With your generous support, we can “meet this moment and the next” by continuing to accompany and advocate with our partners. Together we can multiply hope and light!
Please consider an online donation at https://bit.ly/CRLNEndofYear to CRLN. Your contributions are tax-deductible. Please also consider providing a legacy donation to CRLN in your will; our full legal title is Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America.
¡Adelante!
CRLN Staff and Board
January Delegation to Guatemala with Congresswoman Delia Ramírez and leaders of the Guatemala Community in Chicago
Delegation members visit the resistance camp of La Puya near Guatemala City
The January 2024 Guatemala delegation, organized by CRLN, was a unique opportunity for participants to engage with social movements and human rights defenders, furthering connections and understanding of critical issues in the region. Joined by Congresswoman Delia Ramirez and other distinguished leaders, the delegation witnessed the vital work of organizations such as La Puya, Fundación Ixtatán, and Asociación Pop-Noj.
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January Delegation to Cuba
Delegation members in Cuba and view of Havana, Cuba
In January 2024, our CRLN delegation arrived in Cuba after more than a year of planning. It was decided in 2023 to partner with the Witness for Peace Solidarity Collective (WFP), which has a staff member in Cuba and vast experience organizing delegations. The delegation would explore the historic and impactful community, theological, and secular work of the renowned Centro Memorial Martin Luther King (CMLK).
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Delegation from Cuba visits Chicago
Esteemed and renown historian and professor Barbara Ransby with guests Reverend Izett Samá Hernández and Loyet García Broche at the Chicago Justice Gallery event organized by Bettina Johnson
Solidarity dinner to honor the work of the Centro Memorial Martin Luther King Jr. (CMLK) in La Habana, Cuba
The visit of Reverend Izett Samá Hernández and Loyet García Broche, key leaders and human rights defenders from the Centro Memorial Martin Luther King Jr. (CMLK) in La Habana, Cuba, marked a significant moment in CRLN’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its relationship with the CMLK. From April 13 to April 19, 2024, their visit to Chicago featured impactful events centered around political education, liberatory theology, and liberatory education. The CMLK’s work, blending secular and religious elements, holds profound significance in Cuba and internationally. CRLN was honored to host Reverend Hernández and García Broche, whose leadership continues to inspire movements in Cuba and beyond. This visit follows CRLN’s successful delegation to Cuba in January 2024, deepening the collaborative ties between our organizations and setting the stage for future strategic initiatives.
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Nelly del Cid from Honduras visits Chicago
Conversation with Honduran human rights defender Nelly Del Cid hosted at Inga Bookstore in Chicago
CRLN hosted an empowering conversation with Honduran human rights defender Nelly Del Cid, in collaboration with the Sisters of Mercy at the national level and in Chicago, as well as Inga Bookstore. The event brought together an intergenerational audience for a dialogue centered on community, resistance, and self-care, highlighting the resilience and courage of those fighting for human rights in Honduras and beyond. Nelly’s powerful insights sparked meaningful reflection and discussion, creating a space for solidarity and mutual learning.
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Action and Advocacy at the El Salvador Consulate
CRLN and allies rally in front of the El Salvador consulate in Chicago
In response to a global call from human rights defenders and organizations in El Salvador, CRLN supported organizing a powerful rally in front of the El Salvador consulate in Chicago on May 31, 2024. This event was part of a larger coordinated effort across the United States and the world to denounce the authoritarian policies of President Nayib Bukele’s government.
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HumanitiesX Fellowship with DePaul University
CRLN staff, DePaul staff, allies, and fellows at University Church
The Historical Memory Project: Ni Olvido, Ni Perdón was a transformative educational initiative that emerged from a partnership between CRLN and DePaul University’s HumanitiesX fellowship. Launched in the Spring of 2024, the project connected students to critical human rights contexts in Central America, particularly Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Under the guidance of Professors Dr. Susana Martínez and Dr. Lydia Saravia from DePaul University, along with CRLN’s Co-Director Jhonathan Gómez, the project integrated interdisciplinary study, community engagement, and collaborative art. Students explored historical memory and social justice by researching human rights challenges, particularly issues related to political violence, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights.
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July Guatemala Diaspora Delegation
Delegation participants with members of AJR at the trial hearings. Delegation members in the town square of Nebaj, El Quiché.
The delegation to Guatemala, which took place from July 3rd to the 13th, included five leaders from the Guatemalan community. This delegation was a collaboration between CRLN, the Maya Ixil Accompaniment Project, NISGUA, and AJR (Association for Justice and Reconciliation). The delegation was an independent initiative from Guatemalan leaders in Chicago seeking to reconnect with their roots and the desire to understand a border context of human rights in Guatemala.
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Thelma Cabrera and Neftali López visit Chicago
Thelma Cabrera and Neftali López at public events at 18th Street Casa de Cultura and Latin Patio restaurant
From October 20th to 24th, 2024, Thelma Cabrera and Neftalí López, two prominent Human Rights Defenders from Guatemala, visited Chicago as part of a larger speaking tour. This visit was organized in partnership with local collectives Ceiba and Alma de Izote, along with support from Mijente, CODECA USA Youth, the CCG (Coalición Cordinadora de Guatemala en Chicago), and leaders of the Guatemala community. This marked the first collaboration with Mijente, whose logistical and promotional support contributed to the success of the events. The visit allowed for valuable connections between the guests, local leaders, and various organizations dedicated to social justice and human rights.
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Midwest Association for Latin American Studies (MALAS) conference
Dr. Susana Martínez and Dr. Lydia Saravia highlight how archival research serves as a foundation for understanding the political and cultural history of Central America. Angelina Álvarez shared on the importance of Central American curriculum for college students
At the 2024 Midwest Association for Latin American Studies (MALAS) conference, Jhonathan Gómez, along with DePaul University’s Dr. Susana Martínez, Dr. Lydia Saravia, and Angelina Álvarez, presented the Ni Olvido, Ni Perdón: Central American Historical Memory Project. This panel explored the powerful intersections of historical memory, social justice, and community engagement in the context of Central American human rights struggles. The presentation delved into the use of archives for preserving historical memory, with Susana Martínez and Lydia Saravia highlighting how archival research serves as a foundation for understanding the political and cultural history of Central America.
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House of Hospitality
In 2024, CRLN’s work with the SWG House of Hospitality exemplified its commitment to community-powered solutions in response to the challenges faced by recently arrived migrant families. The House of Hospitality served as a temporary home for several West African families, providing critical support and resources. CRLN pivoted to focus on services within the context of accompaniment, emphasizing leadership development among residents. One significant achievement was hiring a resident member as part-time staff, offering both professional growth opportunities and a platform to contribute to the collective work of the organization.
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