CRLN

La Lucha Sigue Film & Panel with Bertha Zúniga Cáceres & Miriam Miranda
2021-03-20 - 2021-03-21
World Premiere of La Lucha Sigue a new film about Honduran land defenders followed by a panel discussion with Bertha Zúniga Cáceres and Miriam Miranda
In Honduras, the most dangerous place in the world to be a land defender, the Lenca and Garífuna people are not backing down. They are fighting to uphold their rights and Indigenous and Black cultures in the face of state backed megaprojects and narco-traffickers who seek to assassinate them, destroy their lands, and erase their existence. Register to watch the WORLD PREMIERE of La Lucha Sigue at 2:00 pm CT Saturday March 20 as part of the Building Movements in Defense of Life, a free bilingual film festival featuring true stories of resistance to industrial capitalism. Stay after the film for a panel featuring the protagonists of the film, Bertha Zúniga Cáceres and Miriam Miranda on Saturday at 3:30 PM CT.
On Sunday at 3:30 PM CT Bertha and Miriam will join a panel with all the women featured in the film festival. You will need to register for the Sunday panel separately and select large group discussion. See the whole schedule and register at: https://www.mutualaidmedia.com/schedule

Press conference for Senate bill on human rights and anti-corruption in Honduras
2021-03-02 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Federal Plaza, 230 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, 60604, United States
Join us for a press conference calling on Senator Duckworth to sign onto the Honduras Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Act of 2021. Senator Durbin is an original co-sponsor of the bill, introduced by Senator Merkley of Oregon.
Can’t join us? Click here to find a description of the bill and a sample script; call your Senators and ask them to sign on.

"Building Bridges, Connecting Communities/Construyendo Puentes, Conectando Comunidades"
2020-11-14 17:30 - 19:30
English | Spanish

Thank-you to everyone who joined us for Building Bridges, Connecting Communities!

Watch Building Bridges, Connecting Communities
Don’t forget to click here for the Program Book to use as a guide for the event.
Read articles and reflections and see a list of our wonderful sponsors
and the activists they honored.
You can click here for the lyrics to the Rebel Diaz performance!

In difficult moments we are tempted to give in to despair. This year, we have faced profound challenges across the globe. From homes to hospitals to cities and towns, the current health crisis and calls for racial justice have touched us all, but they also made more apparent the flaws of our societies. However, it is now that we must remember that we are a people of justice united by a common thread of hope. It is hope that unites us in our calls and emails to elected officials, in our protests on the streets. It is hope that connects us to our brothers and sisters in their struggles thousands of miles away. It is hope that connects us to neighbors in solidarity when we struggle. Our keynote speaker Sr. Maria Magdalena embodies this hope and reflects what CRLN’s friends, members and allies strive to live out every day. It is this hope that brings us together to commemorate another year of work for justice and to push toward the next.

Responding to the Causes and Challenges of Forced Migration
Sister María Magdalena Silva Rentería – Originally from Zacatecas, she moved to Mexico City in 1982 to join the Josefina Sisters. During the earthquake in Mexico in 1985, she coordinated the shelters for affected people. She is a member of the national team of the Human Mobility Pastoral of the Mexican Episcopal Conference. Currently, she is the Director of CAFEMIN (House for Shelter, Training and Empowerment of Migrant and Refugee Women), as well as the Coordinator of REDODEM (Network of Organizations Documenting and Defending Migrants).

2020 Honorees
The Sanctuary Working Group/ Chicago & the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center/ Havana

Music by Rebel Diaz
We are Rebel Diaz. Somos hermanos- RodStarz and G1- who grew up in Chicago and came up in The South Bronx. Somos hijos de political refugees from Chile who fled a CIA-funded dictatorship in the 1970s. Revolution raised us, and the culture of Hip-Hop provided us our own Nueva Cancion. We’ve been doing rebel rap since the Clinton era, sharing our story and those of our people; el barrio, the hood, the poor, los inmigrantes. Our bilingual sound has been shaped by pieces of South American folk, house, and latin percussion gettin down with boom-bap breaks and 808s. Hip-Hop and a vision for liberation have taken us around the world. With DJ Illanoiz and our band, we’ve rocked stages in front of thousands at festivals, and in front of dozens in squat house living rooms. We learned about tomas in our international tours, then came back to The Bronx, took over an abandoned building and started a community center, The RDACBX. We’ve given lectures at Ivy League schools but are college dropouts. We went from rapping about being ‘periodistas de la esquina’ to actually hosting a television news program on the global network Telesur English. We’ve been blessed to open for the likes of Public Enemy, Calle 13, and Rage Against the Machine. The New York Times, Washington Post, and NPR among others, have featured our work and words. Educators across the world use our music and videos as learning tools. Today, we continue in la lucha with our families and in our community through our music and multimedia work.

2020 Pedal for Peace: Bike in Your Barrio
2020-10-18 16:00 - 17:00
In these times, we have dreamed up a new way to participate in this annual event! This will be a decentralized Pedal for Peace, and we also have opened it up to people who run or walk. It is more flexible–choose your date within the next month to participate! Finally, we will all gather online to celebrate the results of our collective action. Click here to participate (join) or donate.

September 12– October 11, you get to choose the day to bike, run, or walk the distance of your choice.

Alone or with family/friends
On a bike path, neighborhood streets, park, or exercise bike
Send a photo of yourself in your biking location holding a sign with the name of the location (neighborhood, bike path, etc.) appearing in the photo to shunter-smith@crln.org to share with other participants.

October 18, 4-5 pm: Online Zoom program to celebrate our united efforts to empower our communities in Illinois and Latin America. We will send out the link to you on the day of the event. While we cannot gather at this time, we can celebrate the way we remain connected by our global hearts and similar missions.

Your fundraising or donations help us support the following:

scholarships for rural Indigenous students in Guatemala and El Salvador
health promoter trainings in rural and Indigenous or Black communities in Colombia
educating high risk communities in El Salvador and Honduras about Coronavirus and critical steps they can take to protect themselves and their families
voter registration and issues education in immigrant communities in Lake County, IL
funding for those who must renew DACA work authorization at exorbitant new rates.

You can raise funds online using social media tools or you can use a paper pledge form to collect checks (contact shunter-smith@crln.org for a pledge form or if you have questions). Whichever method you choose, sign up to join one of the teams to raise funds or donate to one of the teams at charity.gofundme.com/pedal-for-peace-bike-in-your-barrio

12th Annual El Pueblo Canta
2020-10-03 17:30 - 20:30 | Wellington Ave Church, 615 West Wellington Ave, Chicago, Wellington Ave Church, 615 West Wellington Ave, Chicago, United States
Advance tickets and sponsorship at waucc.org/2020ElPuebloCanta

FEATURING: El Wadi Ensemble

PLUS: special performances by VOICES, the Wellington Choir, and the “Dare to Dream” Centro Romero Youth Choir.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020

TIME: Doors open at 5:30pm–Traditional Latino and Middle Eastern food for purchase
Concert: 7:00 – 8:30pm

LOCATION: Wellington Ave. UCC, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago, IL. Located on the corner of Broadway and Wellington, a few blocks south of Belmont Ave. Close to the Halsted, Broadway and Clark St. buses, as well as the Red or Brown Line CTA trains

TICKETS: $25 general admission, $15 students/limited income, children under 12 free (childcare available, RSVP at 773-935-0642)

Advance tickets and sponsorship at waucc.org/2020ElPuebloCanta

Call 773-935-0642 for more details

PARKING: Complimentary parking passes generously provided by Advocate IL Masonic Hospital at garage at Halsted and Wellington.

All proceeds will go to support the immigrant justice work of Centro Romero, CRLN, and Wellington Ave. UCC

BUILDING COMMUNITY WHERE ALL ARE WELCOME!

Concert honoring Cuban Medical Brigades and calling for an end to U.S. Sanctions
2020-07-18 19:00 - 2020-07-19 22:00
A GLOBAL MUSICAL HOMAGE HONORING CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADES AND CALLING FOR AN END TO U.S. SANCTIONS
The event will stream online on SATURDAY JULY 18 AND SUNDAY JULY 19 AT 7 pm
REGISTER HERE

Cultural organizers from the US and Canada have come together with the Instituto Cubano de la Musica (ICM) in Cuba to host a special tribute recognizing the distinct contributions to the world during the Covid-19 pandemic. The concert will salute Cuba’s heroic and outsized contributions to health care around the world as doctors have volunteered this year to serve in more than 26 countries.The two-day cultural event will feature the legendary talent nurtured on Cuban soil and recognized world-wide as virtuoso artists. Musicians located outside of Cuba influenced by numerous Afro-Cuban styles or who are playing in solidarity with the aims of the event are also participating. The roster of talent amassed for this historic event signifies the concert as one of music history’s most memorable gatherings.
Interspersed with the music, tributes by long-time friends of Cuba, other artists, politicians in the US, religious leaders, academics, and activists will join the program to make remarks and offer context to the program.
Click here for SATURDAY’S line-up
Click here for SUNDAY’S line-up
The program will broadcast LIVE from Havana’s Instituto Cubano de la Musica and from points around the globe while physical distancing is still observed.

Broadcast via the Twitch.tv/HotHouseGlobal channel.
The HotHouseGlobal Twitch Channel will also be simulcast on
• HotHouseGlobal on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fqiXc40zwA
• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hothousechicago
• And on the HotHouse web site www.hothouse.net/HotHouseGlobal
Inside Cuba, the live stream will be broadcast across Cuba on national television. Co-presenters around the world will also create Watch parties on Facebook to expand the reach and audience for this legendary event. The archival version will be available on HotHouseGlobal’s You Tube channel after the live stream two-day event is concluded. The program will be presented for free without pay walls and all labor related to the program has been donated.

Virtual "Free Them All" Forum
2020-05-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Chicago Teachers Union Hall, 1901 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL, 60612
CRLN and its predecessor organization, the Chicago Metropolitan Sanctuary Alliance, had its beginnings in the fight against U.S. funding for the adbuctions, disappearances and torture of non-combatant citizens in El Salvador and Guatemala. How can we remain silent when Chicago police have tortured our own citizens into confessing to crimes that they did not commit? While some have been released from prison, we must demand that all those who were tortured be released and pardoned.
We urge you to show up online and be present at this virtual educational rally and action around demanding the IMMEDIATE pardon for all survivors of police torture, organized by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and co-sponsored by CRLN.

The event will livestream HERE on the event page on Facebook Live.
Learn more about the Campaign to Free Incarcerated Survivors of Police Torture at: cfist.org
Be sure to sign the online petition for CFIST at: https://www.caarpr.org/cfistpetitiontogov
#FreeThemAll #FreeThemAllForum

Webinar: El Salvador's Water in the Time of COVID-19
2020-04-18 14:00 - 15:00
Register here
Date and time: Saturday, April 18, 2pm CST
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, how can you wash your hands with no access to clean water? You can’t. After decades of right-wing attacks on essential public services, like health care and water, many people in El Salvador do not have the access they need to protect their health in this critical time, much less easily carry on daily cooking and cleaning tasks.
Join CRLN ally CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) for an online conversation with water defense activist and national labor union leader, Marielos de Leon, to learn how organizers in El Salvador are advancing the struggle for water rights for all–and the important role that international solidarity can play today.
You must register to participate in this webinar.

“Ancestral Movements: Indigenous Territory and Migration” with Silvia Raquec Cum
2020-04-16 18:00 - 20:00
Webinar, “Ancestral Movements: Indigenous Territory and Migration”
with Maya Kaqchikel presenter Silvia Raquec Cum, Migration Program Coordinator, Association Pop No’j
April 16, 2020, 6:00pm CST
While state forces threaten their safety and dignity, Indigenous peoples and migrants resist with courage and resilience. Join us for this webinar to learn about resource extraction, migration, and the work of Indigenous people in Guatemala to build a world beyond colonial borders. Register here for English translation webinar. Register here for Spanish language webinar.

This educational session will prepare you to participate in a wide coalition campaign, of which CRLN is a part, to end the Asylum Cooperation Agreements (ACAs) between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Presidents of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The ACAs allow the U.S. to deport asylum seekers and require them to seek asylum in these three countries. None of these countries has a well-functioning process for applying for asylum nor the capacity to shelter and feed people deported while they wait. No Congress has approved these agreements.

Good Friday Walk for Justice
2020-04-10 12:00 - 14:00 | Plaza, NE corner of Ida B. Wells & Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL
40th ANNIVERSARY GOOD FRIDAY WALK FOR JUSTICE
April 10, 2020, 12:00 NOON
HOPE RISES IN COURAGEOUS COMMUNITY

“When it is all too much, when the news is so bad that meditation itself feels useless, and a single life feels like too small a stone to offer on the altar of peace, find a human sunrise. Find those people who are committed to changing our scary reality. Human sunrises are happening all over the earth, at every moment. People gathering, people working to change the intolerable, people coming in their robes and sandals or in their rags and bare feet, and they are singing, or not, and they are chanting, or not. But they are working to bring peace, light, compassion to the infinitely frightening downhill slide of human life.” (Alice Walker, Naropa University, 2007)

In these challenging times, when all around us we see injustice, violence, lies, and despair, it is important to remember and claim that “another world is possible!” And not only is it possible, but it is being created and nurtured by all of those working together to build a world of justice, compassion, truth, and hope!

CRLN has created the responsive reading for the 4th station, “Helped in the Struggle.”

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the “walk” part of Good Friday Walk for Justice is cancelled.

HOWEVER, even though we cannot gather right now, WE CAN STILL PRAY and take courageous action for justice in our communities! We will honor this 40th Anniversary Good Friday Walk for Justice by publishing our Prayer Booklet online. We encourage you to pray this modern-day Way-of-the-Cross on Good Friday in the safety of your homes with members of your households. The booklet will be available at walkforjusticechicago.com by Monday, April 6. The Planning Committee and Station Coordinators will record an audio/visual performance of the responsive readings and have it available for download at the website or link to it from the website as well. In that way, you can feel more connected to those leading the prayers and others participating in the event.

During this extended period of social distancing, the need for “Hope Rising in Courageous Community” is more important than ever. Please share this resource widely, and take heart in the words of author and poet, Alice Walker, who reminds us that “Human sunrises are happening all over the earth,” and that the work to “bring peace, light, compassion” to this world shines on.

And PLEASE send your email address to planning committee convener Nancy Jones at nancyjones193@gmail.com so we can keep you in the loop about next year’s Good Friday Walk for Justice.

To support this year’s Walk, make checks payable to CRLN (memo: GFWalk) and mail to CRLN, 5655 S. University Ave., #23, Chicago, IL 60637, or pay online at bit.ly/wfj20.

Confronting Forced Migration and Violence in the Americas Webinar Series
2020-04-04 09:00 - 2020-04-05 11:30
Need something good to do while you are sheltering at home during the coronavirus pandemic? Watch a series of five, one-hour webinars this Saturday and Sunday, April 4 and 5, facilitated by CRLN’s ally orgranization, SOAWatch. Presenters include veterans in the movement for peace and social justice in Latin America like Laura Carlsen, Jennifer Harbury, John Lindsey-Poland, and Dana Frank, along with newer faces involved in Abya Yala (“Las Americas”) and activists along the U.S.-Mexican border.
The series will examine the impact of US-backed state violence in the hemisphere, the root causes of forced migration and militarization, and will teach you how to use effective narratives, mutual aid, research and lobbying to nourish our collective work as we face the current humanitarian crisis.
For a description and time period for each webinar and to register separately for each webinar that interests you, go to https://www.soaw.org/webinar-series-april-4-5-2020-confronting-forced-migration-violence-in-the-americas

Reimagining Diversity and Inclusion via Epistemologies of the South
2020-03-12 17:00 - 19:00 | Guild Lounge, Scott Hall, Northwestern University, 601 University Place, Evanston, IL, 60208
A dynamic, arts-based workshop that will involve participants in a collective exploration of the conflicts we face surrounding epistemological diversity and inclusion in higher education. Discuss approaches to decolonizing knowledge and learn strategies to address different epistemologies. This workshop will be facilitated by Fany Aguinda, an indigenous Kichwa youth leader from Tzawata, Ecuador and Chelsea Viteri, a mestiza educator-facilitator-artist from Quito, Ecuador. Fany and Chelsea are members of the Pachaysana Institute, a collective of Ecuadorian and international educators, teaching artists, development specialists and community organizers who seek to bridge the divide between community development and international development, as well as between local and global education.
University education is shaped and guided by western epistemologies. Clearly, this eurocentric approach to knowledge has made innumerable contributions to contemporary life. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that non-western epistemologies and ontologies have been excluded — even obliterated — in its name. Bonaventura de Sousa Santos refers to these alternative ways of thinking as “Epistemologies of the South,” and the acts against their inclusion as epistemicide — an integral part of an ongoing colonial project of domination over territory, resources and human bodies. For most of us, epistemicide is a subtle but violent act and one that we never perceived during our education. However, it has resulted in collective biases related to how we define what is legitimate knowledge and who can be viewed as a legitimate knower. Our views are often limited to a western legacy, which is tied to colonial and patriarchal violence. Even in projects with the best of intentions, this limited epistemological framework often results in work that is extractive and exploitative of communities, yielding scarce benefits to those outside of the ivory tower. What then, would it look like to decolonize community-university partnerships for the common good?

This event is free and open to the public.

Co-sponsored by the Global Learning Office (GLO), Center for Native American and Indigenous Research (CNAIR), Latinx Studies Program, Department of Theater, and the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching at Northwestern University. In partnership with the Center for Experiential Learning and the Latin American Studies Program at Loyola University Chicago.

See Eventbrite page and RSVP here.

***Please note that Fany and Chelsea will conduct a similar workshop at Loyola University Chicago on Friday, March 13 from 12-1:30 PM in the Mundelein Center 1410.***

Chicago-Cinquera Bowl-a-rama
2020-03-07 14:00 - 17:00 | Timberlanes, 1851 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL
Bowling to support university scholarship students in Cinquera, Chicago’s sister city in El Salvador!
Students return to the community to share their new skills in agriculture, business, teaching and organizing.
Children welcome! Special lanes for kids.
Register as an individual for $25 or bring $50 in pledges to bowl FREE!
More info at 773-561-4208 or jimmyishere@hotmail.com

Walk With Us! Camina Con Nosotros!
2019-11-02 18:30 - 21:30 | Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, 1100 E 55th St, Chicago, IL, 60615
EVENT SOLD OUT, BUT PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PUT ON A WAITING LIST (773-293-2964) IF THERE ARE CANCELLATIONS.
SPONSORSHIPS STILL WELCOME–SEE LINK BELOW.
We are proud to celebrate 30 years of effective education, action, accompaniment and advocacy on Latin America and work on justice for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers with our members and partner organizations. We have accomplished a lot – and yet, there is still a long way to go to achieve our vision of peace, justice, and well-being for all.
For CRLN’s 30th anniversary, we are planning a very special celebration! Instead of our usual Annual Luncheon, we will have a dinner featuring photos from 30 years of our history, a video of short interviews with people about key events in our history, a speaker from Latin America – and of course, great fellowship with our wonderful members!
Estamos orgullosos de celebrar 30 años de educación efectiva, acción, acompañamiento y defensa en América Latina y trabajar en la justicia para inmigrantes, refugiados y solicitantes de asilo con nuestros miembros y organizaciones asociadas. Hemos logrado mucho, y sin embargo, aún queda mucho camino por recorrer para lograr nuestra visión de paz, justicia y bienestar para todos.
Para el 30 aniversario de CRLN, estamos planeando una celebración muy especial. En lugar de nuestro almuerzo anual habitual, tendremos una cena con fotos de 30 años de nuestra historia, un video de entrevistas cortas con personas sobre eventos clave en nuestra historia, una presentadora/o de América Latina y, por supuesto, una gran comunión con nuestros maravillosos miembros!
SPEAKER: Miriam Miranda, General Coordinator of the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH) Miriam Miranda, Coordinadora General de la Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña (OFRANEH) Click here for a brief bio.
DATE and TIME: November 2, 2019, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago/McCormick Theological Seminary, 1100 E. 55th St./ 5430 S. University Ave., Chicago, IL 60615 (use Greenwood Avenue door to get to the reception space for the JKM Library)
PARKING: Available in the underground lot for $5. Access lot from the driveway north of the building with entrances from University and Greenwood Avenues.
TICKETS: $80 Regular
$72 Member discount
$50 Students/Low-income
$640 Table of 8
Send a check to CRLN, 4750 N. Sheridan Rd., #429, Chicago, IL 60640-5078, or pay online at http://bit.ly/CRLNat30
SPONSORSHIP: Check out our sponsorship levels and benefits at http://bit.ly/CRLNbook
ADBOOK: Our Event Program Book this year will include ads. It’s an opportunity to share a memory, a photo from a CRLN activity you were part of, a wish for CRLN’s future and/or you can share info on an upcoming event you are planning. Deadline for submission: October 21.
Order your ad (or become a sponsor) online at http://bit.ly/CRLNbook or contact Sharon Hunter-Smith at 773-293-2964 or at shunter-smith@crln.org

An Evening with Marty Rosenbluth, Lawyer for Migrant Detainees in the Deep South
2019-10-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 25 East Pearson, Room 1040 Ceremonial Courtroom, Chicago, IL
To attend, you must register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bringing-hope-to-the-nearly-forgotten-migrant-detainees-in-the-deep-south-tickets-69904011781
CRLN invites you to a free program with noted immigration attorney Marty Rosenbluth, who will speak about his work providing legal counsel to undocumented migrants and asylum seekers held in one of the worst detention centers in the nation. Marty relocated to Lumpkin, Georgia to be near his clients at the Stewart Detention Facility, a private for-profit facility that has been criticized for its poor conditions, resulting in several detainee deaths. There are now more than 56,000 people in immigration detention in the US, many held in inhumane conditions and without legal help. Marty’s extraordinary work and dedication has been showcased in a number of recent articles in prominent publications including The Guardian and the Christian Science Monitor, and he wrote a recent op-ed in the Washington Post (links below).
He received his JD from the University of North Carolina School of Law and was also a Staff Attorney at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. In 2016 he was among lawyers who provided free legal services to Syrian refugees. Marty was previously a film maker who made the award-winning documentary “Jerusalem: An Occupation Set in Stone?” He was the Amnesty International USA country specialist for Israel/Palestine for seven years.
Co-sponsored by Amnesty International, the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, CRLN, Refugee One, and the Council on American Islamic Relations.
The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/14/lone-immigration-attorney-lumpkin-georgia-trump
The Christian Science Monitor https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2019/0422/Long-shot-lawyer-Defending-migrants-in-US-s-toughest-immigration-court
Ha’aretz https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/this-jewish-lawyer-represents-asylum-seekers-at-the-strictest-u-s-immigration-court-1.7307333
Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/my-immigrant-client-won-a-judges-compassion-ice-still-dumped-him-on-the-border/2019/01/24/7802a800-1e9c-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html?utm_term=.75fca9768ded

Film screening, "The U-Turn"
2019-10-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Guild Literary Complex – Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago, IL, 60642

Film screening, "Brightness of Noon"
2019-10-16 17:30 - 20:30 | DePaul Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield (corner of Belden & Sheffield, Chicago, IL
This film, according to its website, “illuminates the risks people of faith are willing to take to protect the human rights of those fleeing violence, and the struggles and triumphs of undocumented immigrants and refugees as they resettle in the United States.” Featured in the film are two Chicago-area refugees and one of CRLN’s Immigrant Welcoming Congregations, Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ, as well as Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church and the Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants.
Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Time: 5:30pm Reception 6:00 pm Screening begins. Screening followed by panel discussion of DePaul faculty, staff and students and an open question and answer session with the audience.
Location: DePaul Student Center, Room 314AB, 2250 N. Sheffield, Chicago, IL (corner of Sheffield and Belden)
Writer and producer Debra Gonsher Vinik will attend.
Hosted by DePaul’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Justice Worship and March September 29!
2019-09-29 10:30 - 12:00 | Parish of the Holy Covenant, 925 W. Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL, 60614, United States
CRLN member Kathy Siegenthaler asked us to publicize this event, which will commemorate events of 50 years ago concerning the murder of a pastor and his wife who opened their church to house programs–a free daycare center, health clinic and breakfast program–sought by the Young Lords for their neighborhood. You can read more about these past events by clicking here for an article that quotes the Rev. Martin Deppe, another CRLN member, who knew Rev. Johnson personally. The current event will also call for an investigation into this and other unsolved murders.
WHO: The United Methodist Church, Young Lords and public remember the unsolved murders of Rev. Bruce Johnson and his wife Eugenia 50 years ago, and also remember Young Lords Manuel Ramos, shot by police, and Jose (Pancho) Lind, beaten and killed by a white mob.
WHAT and WHY: 50th Anniversary memorial service and protest march to call for further investigations.
WHEN: September 29, 2019 – 10:30 AM
WHERE: Parish of the Holy Covenant, 925 W. Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614

2019 Pedal for Peace Bike-a-thon
2019-09-22 13:00 - 17:00 | Waveland Clock Tower, 3600 Recreation Dr, Chicago, IL, 60613, United States
Register online here
32nd Annual Pedal for Peace Bike-a-thon!
Supporting community health, education,
& organizing projects in
Latin America and Chicago
Sunday, September 22, 2019
1:00pm – 5:00pm
Click here for a description of the projects funded!
Sponsors and Beneficiaries:

Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN)
Chicago- Cinquera Sister Cities
Chicago-Guatemala Partnership
Concern America
La Voz de los de Abajo
Autonomous Tenants Union

To donate to a beneficiary group, click on it’s name above, or send a check made out to CRLN and with the name of the beneficiary group in the memo line to CRLN, 4750 N. Sheridan Rd., Suite 429, Chicago, IL 60640-5078.
If you are a biker and would like to collect checks rather than fundraise online, scroll down this page to print off and use the pledge form below. You will still need to register online, but you can use the “pay later” option and mail your check to CRLN. Put “Pedal for Peace registration” in the memo line.
Schedule and Route
1:00 Gather and Ride!
Meet at the table at the main event site in the field just south of the clocktower at Waveland Ave. and the lakefront or at the table at the Dog Water Station (55th Street and Lakefront Bike Path) to sign a waiver form. Choose the 12- or 24-mile loop and ride along the beautiful Chicago Lakefront Bikepath.
3:30 Fiesta & Program!
Relax, enjoy food and conversation at the main site (Grove 13) and stay for a short program.

Riders Receive: Refreshments on the ride, food at the post-pedal fiesta, and a free T-shirt!

Registration Fees: Please register online at this site and indicate the t-shirt size you’d like. Registration fee options:
$10 student/low income; $15 after September 6, 2019
$20 adult; $25 after September 6, 2019
Children 12 and under free
There is an option on the site to mail a check to CRLN. If you choose this option, please select your t-shirt size.

Bring with you: bike, helmet, cell phone, collected pledges
Parking: Parking is available in the Park District lot next to the field below the Waveland Clock Tower.
Please note that you will need to use the ParkMobile Pay by Phone service to pay for parking– no other phone payment app will work, including ParkChicago used for City street parking. For more information on how to Pay by Phone at this parking lot, click here.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

If you cannot ride but would like to support Pedal for Peace in other ways, please send an email by September 9, 2019, to shunter-smith@crln.org with your name, email address, phone number and which of the following ways you would like to volunteer:

prepare a dish of food to share at the fiesta
request a food donation from a restaurant for the fiesta
ask for a contribution to support the event from a business in your community
make a contribution to support a team or the event in general

Pledge Form

Tell your friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers that you are riding in a bike-a-thon to raise money for health, education, and community organizing projects. Ask them to sign up below and pledge an amount for the miles you plan to ride. Course distances are 12 or 24 miles.
Ask your pledgers to make their checks payable to CRLN and write the name of your team on the memo line. All proceeds will be divided among the beneficiary groups in support of the projects. You may also click here for a description of the projects funded
Collect the donations before September 22, and turn them in at the event site table on Pedal for Peace day.

Sponsor’s Name Address City , State, Zip Total Pledged
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Send any pledges collected after the event to: CRLN, 4750 N. Sheridan Road, Suite 429, Chicago, IL 60640 by October 9.

CRLN 30th Anniversary Celebration
2019-08-28 18:30 - 2019-11-02 21:30 | Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, 1100 E 55th St, Chicago, IL, 60615
We are proud to celebrate 30 years of effective education, action, accompaniment and advocacy on Latin America and work on justice for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers with our members and partner organizations. We have accomplished a lot–and yet, there is still a long way to go to achieve our vision of peace, justice and well-being for all.
For CRLN’s 30th anniversary, we are planning a very special celebration! A buffet dinner will be served while selected photos from 30 years of our history are projected. The program will feature a video of short interviews with people about key events in our history and a speaker from Latin America. And, of course, come for great fellowship with our wonderful members!
Date: Saturday, November 2
Time: 6:30 – 9:00
Location: Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (use Greenwood Avenue door to get to the reception space for the JKM Library), 1100 E. 55th Street Chicago, IL 60615
Parking: Available in the underground lot for $5. Access lot from the driveway north of the building.
Tickets: $80 Regular
$72 Member discount
$50 Low-income (some donated tickets available on a first-come first-served basis–call us for availability at 773-293-2964)
Send a check to CRLN, 4750 N. Sheridan Rd., #429, Chicago, IL 60640-5078, or pay online at https://crln.org/?page=CiviCRM&q=civicrm%2Fcontribute%2Ftransact&reset=1&id=15

DIRECTORAS CUBANAS ESTRENAN SUS PELICULAS EN CHICAGO
2019-07-19 19:00 | Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N Southport Ave, Chicago, Illinois, 60657
¡Nuestros colaboradores compartieron información sobre este emocionante nuevo evento!
DIRECTORAS CUBANAS ESTRENAN SUS PELICULAS EN CHICAGO
Presentación en el Athenaeum Theatre Viernes, 19 de Julio a las 7:00PM
Full Spectrum Features (FSF), Americas Media Initiative (AMI) y Athenaeum Theatre
Productions se enorgullece en presentar el estreno en Chicago del documental Días de
Diciembre y el cortometraje Frágil, como parte del programa Emerging Women Filmmakers
(Mujeres Cineastas Emergentes) del la serie de películas Cuban Visions (Visiones Cubanas).
La proyección será seguida por una conversación moderada por la Directora de AMI, Alexandra
Halkin, con comentarios de dos feministas Cubanas críticas del cine, Danae Diéguez (El Ojo
Sexuado) y Dr. Zaira Zarza.
Las tres discutirán el panorama de la producción cinematográfica
Cubana para mujeres cineastas emergentes. Específicamente, abordarán temas como el
progreso y las dificultades que enfrentan las mujeres directoras en la industria cinematográfica
dominada por los hombres en Cuba y el estado actual del cine independiente en la isla.
Días de Diciembre – Dirigida por Carla Valdés León
Entre 1975 y 1991, más de 400,000 soldados y civiles cubanos fueron enviados a
Angola para apoyar al gobierno de el lado izquierdo del país. Dos mil de ellos fueron
asesinados. Los días de diciembre muestran algunas de las formas en que la misión a
Angola, un esfuerzo masivo de solidaridad de un país pequeño, continúa tocando las
vidas de los cubanos comunes.
Frágil – Dirigida por Sheyla Pool
Una hija, dedicada al cuidado de su madre con Alzheimer, quiere sentir su amor,
aunque solo sea una última vez. Esta necesidad la lleva por un camino peligroso para
descubrir que a veces el amor puede ser el sentimiento más caprichoso y
desconcertante.
Esta es la quarto instalación de Cuban Visions, una serie de presentaciones cinematográficas
que ofrecen una mirada única de la sociedad Cubana durante los principios de la revolución y
la actualidad. Boletas ya están a la venta: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/10366739.
###
Más información sobre FSF: https://www.fullspectrumfeatures.com/
Más información sobre el AMI: http://americasmediainitiative.org/
Para más detalles, por favor contacte a:
Alexandra Halkin, Directora – Americas Media Initiative
T: 312-282-0135 E: alex@americasmediainitiative.org

WOMEN-DIRECTED CUBAN FILMS TO SCREEN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CHICAGO
2019-07-19 19:00 | Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N Southport Ave, Chicago, Illinois, 60657
Our collaborators shared this Press Release on an exciting new event:
WOMEN-DIRECTED CUBAN FILMS TO SCREEN FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN CHICAGO
Screening at The Athenaeum Theatre on Friday, July 19 at 7PM
Full Spectrum Features (FSF), Americas Media Initiative (AMI), and Athenaeum Theatre Productions
are thrilled to present the Chicago premiere of the documentary Días de Diciembre (December Days)
and the short fiction Frágil (Fragile), as part of the Emerging Women Filmmakers program of the Cuban Visions film series.
The screening will be followed by a conversation, moderated by AMI Director, Alexandra Halkin,
featuring Cuban feminist film critics Danae Dieguez (El Ojo Sexuado) and Dr. Zaira Zarza. The
three will discuss the landscape of Cuban film production for emerging women filmmakers.
Specifically, they will touch on the progress and pitfalls faced by women directors in Cuba’s
male dominated film industry and the current state of independent filmmaking on the island.
Días de Diciembre (December Days) – Directed by Carla Valdés León
Between 1975 and 1991 more than 400,000 Cuban soldiers and civilians were sent to
Angola in support of the country’s left-wing government. Two thousand of them were
killed. December Days shows some of the ways in which the mission to Angola—a
massive solidarity effort from a small country—continues to touch the lives of ordinary Cubans.
Frágil (Fragile) – Directed by Sheyla Pool
A daughter, dedicated to the care of her mother with Alzheimer’s, wants to feel her love,
even if it’s just one last time. This need drives her down a dangerous path to discover
that sometimes love can be the most capricious and bewildering of feelings.
More information on AMI: http://americasmediainitiative.org/
More information on FSF: https://www.fullspectrumfeatures.com/
For more details, please contact:
Alexandra Halkin, Director – Americas Media Initiative
T: 312-282-0135 E: alex@americasmediainitiative.org

Cuba’s Javier Cabrera on the Impact of the US Blockade of Cuba’s Economic, Social and Environmental Programs
2019-07-16 19:00 | UE Hall, 37 S. Ashland, Chicago
Javier Cabrera will discuss Cuba’s changing economic development program, its community health care program, and its programs to combat climate change.
He will explain how the US blockade of Cuba, begun in 1961, and condemned on a yearly basis by overwhelming UN vote, interferes in Cuba’s ability to carry out these programs. There will be ample time for extended Q&A with the audience.
UE Hall
37 S. Ashland
Tuesday July 16, 7 pm

GILBERTO JAVIER CABRERA TRIMIÑO

Professor, University of Havana, Center for Public Administration Studies (CEAP)
Independent Writer of the UNEAC (National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba)
Coordinator of the Public Administration Network of the University of Havana
Vice President of the International University Network of Studies and Research in Population, Environment and Sustainable Local Development (www.iunetwork.org),
Coordinator of Environment and Sustainability of the University Network Iberoamericana de Territorio y Movilidad (RUITEM).

Master in Teaching Methodology (1980) Pedagogical University for Technical and Professional Education
Ph.D. in Pedagogical Sciences, specializing in Environmental Education (1989), Pedagogical University, Moscow
Postgraduate Specialization in Ecological Economics (1994), United Nations University

Research stays and postdoctoral studies in topics related to public health, environmental management and community participation:

University of Havana
University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
University Autónoma de Madrid
Polytechnic University of Catalonia
University of Carlenton, Canada
Metropolitan University of London
University of California Los Angeles
University of Puerto Rico
University of Costa Rica.

Sponsors and endorsers: Chicago ALBA Solidarity, US Peace Council (Chicago), Albany Park, North Park, Mayfair Neighbors for Peace and Justice, Chicago Antiwar Coalition (CAWC), Evanston Neighbors for Peace

For more info: Stan Smith 773-322-3168, stansfieldsmith100@gmail.com

Northside Gang Database Teach-In
2019-07-14 14:30 - 17:30 | 4427 N. Clark, Chicago
Find out what the Chicago gang database is and how Chicago police decide who gets labeled a gang member.
Learn why communities in Chicago argue that the gang database is a violation of our civil rights and are organizing to get rid of it.
Connect with people who are finding different strategies to protect and defend community members who are in the gang database and fighting to end it.

Ven a un taller acerca de la Base de Datos de Pandillas en Chicago, donde estaremos hablando de como el Departamento de Policia decide quien es parte de una pandilla.
También estaremos hablando de por que las comunidades en Chicago estan organizando en contra de esta base de datos para proteger los derechos civiles de todas las personas en la ciudad.

Cuba’s Javier Cabrera on the Impact of the US Blockade of Cuba’s Economic, Social and Environmental Programs
2019-07-14 14:00 | Chicago Public Library Sulzer Branch, 4455 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL
Javier Cabrera will discuss Cuba’s changing economic development program, its community health care program, and its programs to combat climate change.
He will explain how the US blockade of Cuba, begun in 1961, and condemned on a yearly basis by overwhelming UN vote, interferes in Cuba’s ability to carry out these programs. There will be ample time for extended Q&A with the audience.
Sunday July 14, 2pm
Chicago Public Library, Sulzer Branch
4455 N. Lincoln Ave

Professor, University of Havana, Center for Public Administration Studies (CEAP)
Independent Writer of the UNEAC (National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba)
Coordinator of the Public Administration Network of the University of Havana
Vice President of the International University Network of Studies and Research in Population, Environment and Sustainable Local Development (www.iunetwork.org),
Coordinator of Environment and Sustainability of the University Network Iberoamericana de Territorio y Movilidad (RUITEM).

Master in Teaching Methodology (1980) Pedagogical University for Technical and Professional Education
Ph.D. in Pedagogical Sciences, specializing in Environmental Education (1989), Pedagogical University, Moscow
Postgraduate Specialization in Ecological Economics (1994), United Nations University

Research stays and postdoctoral studies in topics related to public health, environmental management and community participation:

University of Havana
University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
University Autónoma de Madrid
Polytechnic University of Catalonia
University of Carlenton, Canada
Metropolitan University of London
University of California Los Angeles
University of Puerto Rico
University of Costa Rica.

Sponsors and endorsers: Chicago ALBA Solidarity, US Peace Council (Chicago), Albany Park, North Park, Mayfair Neighbors for Peace and Justice, Chicago Antiwar Coalition (CAWC), Evanston Neighbors for Peace

For more info: Stan Smith 773-322-3168, stansfieldsmith100@gmail.com

PROTEST! Take Action to End Criminalization, Detention, & Deportations
2019-07-13 11:00 - 13:00 | Daley Plaza
Gather with CRLN at 10:30am on Saturday July 13 at the Joan Miro sculpture that’s immediately east of the Chicago Temple which is located at 77 W Washington. Here is the map: https://goo.gl/maps/QDXsHHiNBUcuzPQS7 . Please email Juan Carlos Hernández <JCHernandez@crln.org> if you can join!

We will join immigrant rights, social justice, and grassroots organizations to protest the administration’s destructive policies and actions, and take a stand to welcome immigrant communities in solidarity. Add your voice to those in the movement to end criminalization, detention and deportation of immigrant families in the United States.
On a daily basis, immigrant communities in Illinois live with the fear that imminent raids and escalated activity by ICE, as stated by Trump, will rip families apart. We see more information each day regarding deplorable situations at the border – where government officials deny there is a humanitarian crisis, where children are treated as less than human, and where more children have died in immigration custody in 2019 than in the past 10 years.
In Illinois, we are taking a stand.
We see the current criminalization of immigrants, those coming to our borders seeking asylum and those seeking a better life for themselves and their families, as a continuation of the United States’ deep history of exploiting and criminalizing immigrants.
We reject the framework of hate + profit. Instead we envision a movement that builds intersectional power among our vibrant communities and a nation that recognizes the incredible social and cultural value of immigrants in our society.
For more information see: https://www.facebook.com/events/693145914482339/

Summer of Love Kick Off Campaign Resolution Hands off Cuba
2019-06-20 18:00 | Centro Autonomo, 3460 W. Lawrence, Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Please come to the send off of the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba and the kick off of a campaign to pass a resolution in the Chicago City Council to end the embargo and lift the travel ban!
BE PART OF THE CAMPAIGN TO PASS A RESOLUTION IN
THE CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL
• Attend the Caravan event and be part of the short training for visits to elected officials
• Sign up on the Google sheet linked below
• Get your friends to be part of this historic initiative!
In 2016, Obama admitted the US policy on Cuba was a failure and worked to take steps to restore relations.
Now, under Trump the bellicose rhetoric and threats have made the situation for people on the island increasingly difficult.
Read the Latin American Working Groups statement below
and join their CALL TO ACTION!
https://www.lawg.org/threats-to-cuba-policy-dont-sit-this…/…
If you would like to work on the campaign to get a Chicago city council resolution, please sign up using the Google Sheet Sign Up:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WaSFXhuMAtZhmlNMHgZPlj8A-QI6Xtlc6LrtXVpf15c/edit?fbclid=IwAR0vlfwF0i2xlgaYTT-gHdHm5WpCHT1Hh34mpE8UPSKjAsh2CE7bm-BvaCk#gid=0
{This sheet is a way for us to organize our campaign to meet with city officials, information will not be circulated or shared}
Can’t join us on June 20?😞
You can still support the Caravan by donating at our GoFundMe page 🙂:
https://www.gofundme.com/chicago-p4p-caravan-2019&rcid=r01-155820223439-309e886f63ab4c7f&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_w

Bowling Against Borders
2019-06-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Timberlanes, 1851 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL
Join Illinois SOAWatch for a fundraiser to help activists from Latin America travel to Chicago for a September SOAW strategy meeting and to Fort Benning, GA, for the SOAW 30th Anniversary Vigil.
Date and time: Sunday, June 9, 2-4pm
Location: Timber Lanes, 1851 W. Irving Park Rd, Chicago, 60613.
Street/Meter Parking • Irving Park Brown Line Stop
RSVP: to Chris Inserra, cminserra@sbcglobal.net
Cost: Donation: $35 – $50
Students & Limited Income: $20
Click here for online donation page OR make checks payable to CRLN and write “SOAW bowling” on the memo line and bring it with you to the event. You may also mail your check to CRLN, 4750 N. Sheridan Rd, #429, Chicago, IL 60640-5078.

Lunch Dialogue on Colombia with Rev. Milton Mejía and Rev. Atahualpa Hernández
2019-06-03 12:00 - 13:30 | 1100 E 55th St, Chicago, IL 60615, 1100 E. 55Th St., Chicago, IL, 60615, United States
Join Rev. Milton Mejía, President and General Secretary of the Latin America Counsel of Churches, and Rev. Atahualpa Hernández, President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia, for lunch and dialogue about the current situation in Colombia. What can churches do to promote peace and reconciliation in Colombia?

Date: Monday June 3rd, 2019
Time: 12 Noon
Location: Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago – 1100 E 55th St, Chicago, IL 60615.
Check at Main Desk for Room Number
RSVP to shunter-smith@crln.org
Co-sponsored by Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, McCormick Theological Seminary, and CRLN.
Rev. Atahualpa Hernández
Rev. Milton Mejía

Update on Honduras
2019-05-16 19:00
CRLN is co-sponsoring an educational event with Rabbi Brant Rosen to update our members on the current human rights conditions in Honduras. Rabbi Rosen was part of a religious leader delegation to Honduras sponsored by SHARE, organized to provide accompaniment to organizations and individuals under threat.
Date & Time: Thursday, May 16, 7pm
RSVP: Space is limited. Please contact wendy.ilene.carson@gmail.com if you would like to attend and for the address of the event.
