Resistance Across Generations:
From Latino América to Chicago

CRLN has a long standing history in the struggle for human rights, immigrant justice, and international solidarity. At times, a gathering space for activism in Chicago, CRLN has emphasized the importance of connecting generations and communities in shared resistance against systems of oppression. The upcoming events, Resistance Across Generations: From Colombia to El Salvador to Chicago, highlights the intersections of these themes, showcasing the enduring legacies of intergenerational and international activism.

Chicago’s history is deeply rooted in social movements, where migrant communities have played pivotal roles in shaping the city’s landscape. From the labor strikes of the early 20th century to the establishment of bilingual education programs in the 1960s and 70s, the contributions of Latin American migrants have been central to the city’s identity as a sanctuary for everyone. CRLN builds on this foundation, fostering spaces where historical memory and ongoing struggles converge.

In collaboration with the Alma de Izote collective and the Chicago Party for Socialism and Liberation, CRLN’s seeks to honor the work of past generations while nurturing the voices of emerging activists. This initiative, spanning two events in November 2024, will feature distinguished speakers Neris González from El Salvador and Gladys Zarate Cárdenas from Colombia, alongside younger activists from Chicago’s Latin American diaspora representing México, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Other featured speakers include Lorna Sánchez, Yesenia Puebla, Willy Palomo and Josué Sicán. The events will be moderated by Jhonathan F. Gómez from CRLN. Together, they will explore themes of resistance, exile, migration, and intergenerational solidarity.

These gatherings are not just a platform for storytelling but a call to action—encouraging participants to draw lessons from the past to confront today’s challenges. Topics include historical memory, the impact of migration on activism, and the potential of intergenerational organizing as a transformative force in community work.

CRLN warmly invites you to join us in celebrating resistance and solidarity. Let’s honor the past, connect in the present, and build for the future.

📅 Events Details:

• Date: November 14, 2024
• Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)
• Location: 18th Street Casa de Cultura (2057 W. 18th St. Chicago, IL 60608) Chicago Liberation Center
• See the flyer above
  
  
• Date: November 19, 2024
• Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)
• Location: Chicago Liberation Center (2712 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60608)
• See the flyer above

This is more than an event; it’s an opportunity to be part of a growing movement for justice.

Join us for a discussion titled “What Now? Organizing for Justice After the Election”.

DATE: Sunday, November 10th

TIME: 11:45 AM

LOCATION: Lake Street Church, 607 Lake St., Evanston, IL 60201

At the Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN), we understand that marginalized communities in the U.S. have been fighting for justice under all administrations. Our work emphasizes an internationalist perspective and a critique of U.S. foreign policy on Latin American countries. We advocate for the rights of all migrant communities here in the U.S.

We thank Lake Street Church for the invitation to be part of this conversation. Come learn how you can engage in this critical conversation and take action. Your participation matters in co-creating a beloved community.

Thelma Cabrera and Neftalí López Vistit Chicago

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.

On October 21st, a meeting with Mijente’s leadership team in Chicago, along with staff from the national office, and other local activists, provided an opportunity to build deeper connections and discuss common goals in the fight for human rights. The following day, CRLN organized a meeting with its staff, Board of Directors, and the broader network, inviting members of University Church and other groups to discuss the intersection of Indigenous rights, farm worker rights, and the work of CODECA. The meeting also highlighted CRLN’s decades-long commitment to Central America, its roots in liberation theology, and its ongoing solidarity work.

On October 22nd, a youth-focused event was held at the 18th Street Casa de Cultura, attracting over 40 young people. This event allowed Cabrera and López to speak directly with young people about Indigenous justice and the farmworker struggles in Guatemala. It was an opportunity for CRLN to continue its outreach to a new, younger generation on Chicago’s South Side. That same evening, a dinner with over 20 elders and leaders from the Guatemalan community took place at the home of Benjamín Villagrán, strengthening ties with the local community.

On October 23rd, Cabrera and López visited Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, where they met with a collective of Maya Indigenous youth working on immigrant rights and cultural projects at a local Catholic church. The final evening event, held at the Latin Patio restaurant, brought together over 40 attendees from both the Guatemalan community and the broader Chicago community to discuss shared concerns about human rights conditions in Guatemala. The visit culminated in a meaningful meeting with Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, where human rights issues in Guatemala were discussed, particularly the ongoing threats to human rights defenders. Both public events were supported by CRLN’s contribution of professional translation equipment and simultaneous interpretation to ensure effective communication with attendees. This visit and its events were a direct outcome of the relationship-building efforts of the July delegation to Guatemala and represented a collaborative effort among several groups committed to human rights, justice, and solidarity in Chicago. Additionally, many of the young adults such as Evelyn Zepeda took the lead in the work of these events.

Friends of CRLN,

Our solidarity work with the people of Guatemala has evolved over the decades, but one thing remains constant: our belief that Indigenous communities are at the forefront of social change, justice, and liberation. This truth holds across the Americas.

We are honored to partner with Colectiva Ceiba, Alma de Izote, Mijente and Comité de Desarrollo Campesino (CODECA) to welcome renowned human rights defenders Thelma Cabrera and Neftalí López to Chicago. We hope to see you at one or both events.

🗓 Date: Tuesday, October 22

⏰ Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM

📍 Location: 8th Street Casa De Cultura
  (2057 W 18th St. Chicago, IL 60608)

  Free to everyone. Masks required.


🗓 Date: Thursday, October 24

⏰ Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM

📍 Location: Latin Patio Restaurant
  (3115 N Central Ave. Chicago, IL 60634)

  Free to everyone. Masks required.

Many of you may remember Thelma Cabrera from her 2019 presidential run. Although she placed fourth, her candidacy inspired rural and Indigenous communities, solidifying her position as a significant political figure in Guatemala.

A renowned Indigenous leader and human rights defender from Guatemala, Thelma is recognized for her tireless work with CODECA, which advocates for land rights, social justice, and the defense of Indigenous and rural communities. A member of the Maya Mam people, Cabrera has emerged as a powerful voice in the fight against corruption, exploitation, and systemic exclusion. In 2019, she ran as a presidential candidate with the Movimiento para la Liberaciónde los Pueblos (Movement for the Liberation of the People, MLP), following in the footsteps of Rigoberta Menchú. Her leadership has made her one of Guatemala’s most prominent voices in the fight for Indigenous self-determination and against the deep-rooted inequalities in the country.

Her presidential candidacy galvanized support from rural areas and indigenous groups, positioning her as a key political figure. Her platform advocated for structural changes, including the convening of a Constitutional Assembly to transform Guatemala into a plurinational state that recognizes Indigenous rights and autonomy. Despite her exclusion from the 2023 election, by the manipulation of the system by corrupt structures, Cabrera’s impact remains significant, continuing to push for systemic change through grassroots mobilization.

Neftalí López is a prominent leader within CODECA, scholar and political consultant, expert on Indigenous Maya customary law and on contexts of juridical pluralism. He was Thelma Cabrera’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election. López is known for his long-standing work in defending the rights of farmworkers and Indigenous peoples, particularly in the areas of land reform and the nationalization of key public services such as energy. His work with CODECA has made him a central figure in mobilizing rural communities against neoliberal policies and corruption that have long marginalized Guatemala’s most vulnerable populations.

During the 2019 campaign, López emphasized the MLP’s goal of convening a Constitutional Assembly to create a plurinational state, ensuring representation and rights for Guatemala’s Indigenous communities. Under his leadership, CODECA has grown into a powerful social and political movement, despite the dangers its members face—38 activists have been killed since the organization’s inception. López remains a dedicated advocate for justice, working to transform Guatemala’s political landscape and build a more equitable society for all.



In permanent resistance and solidarity,

Jhonathan
 

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Join us on Saturday, October 19 for a Webinar to learn about the Ongoing Maya Ixil Case in Guatemala

CRLN Community,

Following the delegation to Guatemala in July, we held an in-person report-back event with participants to reflect on the experiences and insights gained. We are glad to continue this important conversation with an upcoming webinar that invites us all to learn more and listen to the survivors who continue to fight for justice as the trial continues today.

We sincerely thank you for your solidarity, your continued collaboration and dedication to the work in defense of Human Rights in Latin América and Guatemala.

We invite you to attend this informative webinar focused on the Maya Ixil Genocide Trial for the Lucas García period (1978-1982). This case, supported by survivors of the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR), sheds light on the systematic violence inflicted upon the Maya Ixil population during Guatemala’s military dictatorship.

🗓 Date: Saturday, October 19

⏰ Time: 3 PM Guatemala / 4 PM Chicago

📍 REGISTER HERE

We are honored to feature José Silvio Tay Cusanero, legal advisor to the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR) —an association of survivors and family members who are working for justice and for the crimes commited duirng the war and genocides in Guatemala. He is also plaintiffs in the Ixil Genocide case against Benedicto Lucas García, and served as a witness in the first genocide case against Efraín Ríos Montt.

We will also hear from Evelyn Zepeda and Josue Sicán, community organizers and activists from Guatemala born in Chicago, who participated in the July human rights delegation. Additionally, Michelle Lian, a current accompanier with NISGUA in Guatemala will speak about their work in solidarity with the Maya Ixil communities. The event will be moderated by Jhonathan F. Gómez from CRLN. We are glad to collaborate on this event with NISGUA and Colectiva Ceiba.

This is a critical opportunity to learn about Guatemala’s ongoing fight for justice and historical memory, especially concerning the war crimes against Indigenous communities. The trial represents a significant step in addressing the atrocities that have shaped the country’s history.

About the Maya Ixil Genocide Case
The Maya Ixil genocide case during the Lucas García period focuses on the systematic violence perpetrated by Guatemala’s army under the regime of General Romeo Lucas García (1978-1982). Military forces targeted the Maya Ixil population through massacres, torture, sexual violence, forced displacement, and scorched earth tactics as part of a broader state campaign against Indigenous communities. This case seeks justice for these war crimes, internationally recognized as acts of genocide, and represents an important step in the efforts for justice and historical memory in Guatemala.

Delegation Context
The primary goal of our recent delegation was to provide in-person accompaniment to the Maya Ixil community, whose witnesses and survivors of genocide testified during the hearings of this historic trial. The trial, marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for justice and accountability. As International Human Rights Accompaniers, the delegation documented their experiences and engaged with human rights defenders, community leaders, and organizations throughout Guatemala.

Join us in this important dialogue as we work together for justice and memory.