CRLN

2019 El Pueblo Canta
2019-04-06 17:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Wellington Ave Church, 615 West Wellington Ave, Chicago, Wellington Ave Church, 615 West Wellington Ave, Chicago, United States
This year’s El Pueblo Canta features musician Alex Farha, a teacher at the Old Town School of Folk Music, who will play music on the oud, a Middle Eastern and North African instrument.
Advance tickets, sponsorships and information about public transportation, parking and childcare: waucc.org/2019ElPuebloCanta
Date: April 6, 2019
Time: 5:30pm doors open–traditional Middle Eastern and Latino food available for purchase
7:00-8:30pm–Concert
Place: Wellington Avenue UCC, 615 W. Wellington Ave.
Cost: $25–General admission; $15–students/limited income; Children under 12 FREE.
For more information, call 773-935-0642
All proceeds will go to benefit the immigrant justice work of Centro Romero, CRLN, and Wellington Ave. UCC.

2019 Ecumenical Advocacy Days
2019-04-05 - 2019-04-08 | Washington, DC, United States
Save the date! Consider going with CRLN this year to participate in the Latin America track of this conference and advocacy opportunity. More information to follow after the event is planned.

Exhibit Reception: Immigration Advocacy, Past and Present
2019-04-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Damen Student Center,Loyola University, 6511 N. Sheridan Rd,, Chicago, Illinois, 60626
Stand on the Side of Righteousness: Immigration Advocacy, Past and Present
Time: 6-7:30 pm
Place: Room 214, Damen Student Center, Loyola University Chicago 6511 N. Sheridan Rd. Chicago, IL 60626
You are invited to attend the opening reception for an exhibit which draws from interviews with immigration advocates. Some of those interviewed worked with the Chicago Metropolitan Sanctuary Alliance, now a part of CRLN. The exhibit is now open until the end of April on the second floor of the Damen Center. An online version of the exhibit will be available in early April.
The Immigration Advocacy History Project is supported by a grant from the Student Innovation Fund of Loyola’s Plan 2020. The project is an effort of a Loyola graduate student group, Historians for a Just Society. Volunteers interviewed immigration advocates, whose stories will be preserved in the Loyola University Archives & Special Collections. The project also hosted a fall panel on immigrant identity and intersectionality.
For more information, see immigrationadvocacyhistoryproject.wordpress.com or email justhistoryloyola@gmail.com

Meet Sister Magda, Coordinator of National Network of Migrant Shelters in Mexico
2019-04-03 16:00 - 17:00 | Institute for Cultural Affairs, 4750 N. Sheridan Rd., 1st Floor, Chicago, Illinois, 60640
Central Americans In Exile: What Can We Do To Help?

Since October of last year, when large caravans of mostly young people and families from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador began moving through Mexico, Maria Magdalena Silva Renteria, known as “Sister Magda,” began to organize humanitarian attention across Mexico for Central Americans and all who seek refuge. Sister Magda is the founder and director of the CAFEMIN shelter for women and children in Mexico City and Coordinator of a national network of frontline migrant defenders in Mexico. She rarely visits the U.S. due to her urgent and life-saving work on the ground. She will make just trhee stops in April–Chicago, Washington, DC and Detroit. Do not miss the chance to connect with this inspiring and thoughtful leader.
Co-sponsored by Alianza Americas, CAFEMIN, and CRLN.

Bowl to support scholarships for Cinquera, El Salvador students!
2019-03-16 14:00 - 17:00 | Timberlanes, 1851 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, IL
Come as an individual or as a team to support scholarships for University students in Cinquera, El Salvador, who will return to their community to share their new skills in agriculture, business, teaching and organizing. Children are welcome–there will be special lanes for kids. Free pizza, prizes, and fun for all! Sponsored by Chicago-Cinquera Sister Cities.
Cost: $25/individual, or bowl for free with $50 in donations from others.
Date and time: Saturday, March 16, 2:00-5:00pm
RSVP to shunter-smith@crln.org if you would like to be on a CRLN team to support this project of our partner organization, Chicago-Cinquera Sister Cities!

Dana Frank, “The Labor Struggles Behind the Caravans: Labor Activism, State Repression, and Poverty Creation in Honduras since the 2009 Coup”
2019-02-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Edgewater Presbyterian Church, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago, IL, 60660, United States
Place: Edgewater Presbyterian Church, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago 60660
Time: 7 – 8:30pm
Public transportation: 2 blocks east of CTA Red Line Bryn Mawr stop
Parking: St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, 5649 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660. **You must write a note, “At Presbyterian Church,” and place it on your dashboard, or your car will be towed!
Dana Frank will discuss the role of the labor movement and labor politics in Honduras in the long aftermath of the 2009 military coup that deposed President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras. Honduran labor activists have been the backbone of the popular resistance that has been fighting the repressive coup regime ever since, especially agricultural workers, government employees, bottling-plant workers, and health care workers. They are struggling to retain basic labor rights that are rarely enforced, while joining the broad coalitions protesting the US-back post-coup regime and claiming labor rights guaranteed under the Central American Free Trade Agreement. This talk will explore labor activism in Honduras–while also analyzing the Honduran government’s destruction of the economy and livelihoods since the coup—that are helping produce the exodus of Honduran refugees at the US border.
Dana Frank is Professor of History Emerita at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she taught US labor history and other topics for 30 years. She most recently published The Long Honduran Night: Resistance, Terror and the United States in the Aftermath of the Coup. Her previous books include Bananeras: Women Transforming the Banana Unions of Latin America, which focuses on Honduras; Buy American: The Untold Story of Economic Nationalism; and, with Howard Zinn and Robin D.G. Kelly, Strikes: Miners, Musicians, Salesgirls and the Fighting Spirit of Labor’s Last Century. Her writings on human rights and U.S. policy in post-coup Honduras have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Houston Chronicle, The Nation, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Politico Magazine, and many other publications, and she has been interviewed by the Washington Post, New Yorker, New York Times, National Public Radio, Univision, Latino USA, regularly on Democracy Now!, and on other outlets. Professor Frank has testified about Honduras before the US House of Representatives, the California Assembly, and the Canadian Parliament. She has worked closely with banana workers’ unions in Honduras for almost twenty years.
Co-sponsored by CRLN and La Voz de los de Abajo

Popular Education and a Salvadoran Perspective: An Alternate View of Migrant Caravans, Violence, and US Immigration Policy
2019-01-27 18:00 - 20:30 | University Church, 5655 S. University Ave., Chicago, IL, 60637
Alison Janus, a member of University Church in the Hyde Park nieghborhood of Chicago, spent 5 months teaching English in El Salvador at the Center for Exchange and Solidarity using a popular education methodology. She brings back to her community the perspectives of her Salvadoran students and their alternate views of migrant caravans, violence and the dialogue surrounding US immigration policy. Join us for a dialogue centering the Salvadoran perspective, working toward global solidarity.
RSVP on EventBrite–eventbrite.com/…/reflection-from-el-salvador-by-alison-janus-tickets-54737046981 Food will be available. Event is free and open to the public.
This event is co-sponsored by Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America, Stories Connect, and the Universtiy Chuch Social Justice Committee.

Webinar on Refugee Caravan
2018-11-08 19:30 - 20:30 | IL
Please join this Honduras Solidarity Network webinar to understand the origins of the Refugee Caravan, which finds its roots in US interventionist policies in the region. Hear about the current situation of the more than 7,000 people that are part of the caravan, and learn about ways to join in solidarity. President Trump’s announcement to send more armed forces to the already militarized US/Mexico border as a response to the caravan of Central American refugees must be confronted with active and informed solidarity for the hundreds of thousands of Central Americans that were forced to leave their homelands because of US intervention.
Facebook live available at: @Alliance4GlobalJustice. Register below to participate or watch live.

REGISTER NOW

2018 CRLN Annual Luncheon: Sanctuary for All
2018-11-01 12:00 - 14:00 | Old St. Patrick’s Parish Hall, 700 W. Adams, Chicago, IL, 60661, United States
Sanctuary for All!
Join us for the 2018 CRLN Luncheon
with guest speaker Rev. Dr. Marilyn Pagán-Banks
We have always known that our work leads us to a path that many other activists share. Our aims – while focused differently—seek the same ends of social justice and human dignity. In the current political and cultural climate, with people of color especially under attack, it means that we must work together more closely to create a safe space for all to thrive. Our goal is Sanctuary for All! The CRLN Luncheon speaker, Rev. Dr. Marilyn Pagán-Banks will address ways we can join forces to protect immigrants from ICE and African Americans from police violence. As we enter our 30th year, join us at the luncheon as we renew our support of our brothers and sisters in Latin America, our immigrant brothers and sisters here, and add our support to other movements for justice.
Rev. Dr. Marilyn Pagán-Banks is a queer womanist freedom fighter, minister, teacher, and learner committed to the liberation of oppressed peoples, building power and creating community. She currently serves as executive director of A Just Harvest, pastor at San Lucas UCC, and adjunct professor at McCormick Theological Seminary.
Thursday, November 1, 2018 from 12 noon-2:00 pm
Old St. Patrick’s Church Hughes Hall 700 W. Adams St., Chicago
Order tickets and explore sponsorship opportunities at http://bit.ly/CRLN18 or by contacting Sharon Hunter-Smith at shunter-smith@crln.org or
773-293-2964. Volunteers are needed and attend for free.
Please email mmckenna@crln.org to volunteer.

We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sponsored by the Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

Margarito’s Forest: Expressions of Community, Survival and Partnership
2018-10-26 18:30 | IL
Art Exhibit Celebration
Friday, October 26th
6:30-9pm
7:30 Program
Attend this celebration of original collage art by Allison Havens that illustrated Margarito’s Forest, a children’s book written in K’iche’, Spanish, and English. The story emerges from a 30 year partnership between a Mayan community in Guatemala and the congregation at University Church who welcomed a family into Sanctuary in the 80’s. Come to learn the story of Margarito’s Forest, the effort to print more books for schools and organizations in Guatemala, and the fascinating history behind this project.
Suggested donation: $15 buys a book for a school in Guatemala
Sanctuary Café Stories Connect
University Church
5655 S. University Ave. Chicago, IL 60637

Support Refugees, Not Dictators! Press Conference and Rally in Solidarity with Honduran Refugee Caravan
2018-10-25 17:00 - 18:00 | Across from Trump Tower, Wacker and Wabash, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States
Thousands of Hondurans, refugees from the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Juan Orlando Hernandez and its effects, have set out on foot to reach the U.S. U.S. foreign policy is directly responsible for their plight, with its long history of interference and its support for the 2009 coup and subsequent repressive governments, disastrous economic policy, and, most recently, the 2017 fraudulent elections and ensuing bloody repression. Now President Trump threatens to send the U.S. army to the border against the thousands of families on the caravan, while he also continues the policy of family separation, criminalization and mass deportations.
As immigrant communities, teachers, faith leaders and people of conscience, we will not be silent.

We demand :
*End U.S. support for the Honduran Dictatorship;
*Stop Criminalization, Deportation and Family Separation;
*Respect the Human Rights of Refugees;
*Asylum for Refugees
*No Border Wall!

Conveners: La Voz de los de Abajo, Organized Communities Against Deportation; Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America; Gay Liberation Network; Chicago Teachers Union Latinx Caucus; Chicago Comite Justicia Ayotzinapa, Black Lives Matter Chicago, Arab American Action Network, US Palestinian Community Network, Campaign to Take On Hate- Chicago, ANSWER Chicago.

"Healing a Broken World: Allies in the Non-violent Struggle for Justice": Pax Christi Illinois Annual Gathering
2018-10-20 13:00 - 16:00 | St. Mary Margaret Catholic Church, 1450 Green Trails Drive, Naperville, IL, 60540, United States
How can we become allies of poor communities of color around the world in their nonviolent struggles for social justice and peace?
Join Pax Christi Illinois at their Annual Gathering. All are welcome!
PRESENTER: Marie Dennis is co-president of Pax Christi Interna-tional (the global Catholic peace movement). From 1989-2012 Marie served as the director the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, She also served as chairperson of the Pax Christi USA National Council. She holds a masters degree in moral theology from Washington Theological Union and an honor-ary doctorate from Trinity Washington University and has authored and co-authored seven book.
Co-sponsored by CRLN.

"Memory, Truth and Justice in Guatemala"
2018-10-13 00:00 - 2018-10-16 00:00 | IL
Maria Luisa Rosal, staff person at the School of the Americas Watch, will be in Chicago to talk about the importance of historical memory in relation to the disappearance and assassination of people during the Guatemalan civil war (1960-1996), U.S. involvement in that war, the efforts of family members to find out the truth of what happened to their loved ones, and the effort to find justice in the courts. She will update us on the progress of judicial proceedings against generals and high level officials who are accused of ordering these human rights crimes. All events open to the public.

Group
Date
Time
Location

University Church
10/13/2018
7:00 pm
Sanctuary Café, 5655 S. University Ave., Chicago

Glencoe Union Church
10/14/2018
11:00am – 12:00pm
263 Park Ave, Glencoe, IL 60022

DePaul University
10/15/2018
9:40-11:10am
Arts & Letters Hall, Room 102
2315 N. Kenmore, Chicago

DePaul University
10/15
1:00-2:30pm
Levan Hall, Room 100
2322 N. Kenmore,
Chicago

North Park University
10/15/2018
4:00pm
Brorson Lounge, Old Main

DePaul University
10/16/2018
11:20am -12:50pm
Arts and Letters, Room 204
2315 N Kenmore Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Loyola University
10/16/2018
7:00 – 8:30pm
Lake Shore Campus
6339 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660
Damen MPR

Immigrant Justice Vigil
2018-10-02 17:15 - 19:30 | 4th Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St., Chicago, IL, 60611, United States

2018 Pedal for Peace Bike-a-thon
2018-09-30 13:00 - 17:00 | Lincoln Park, Grove 13, Barry Ave. underpass to Lakefront Bike Path, Chicago, IL, United States
Pedal for Peace supports health, education, legal aid, and community organizing in Latin America and Chicago. For a list of beneficiaries, click here. Sign up to ride 12- or 24-miles and find sponsors and people to pledge to donate to your ride to support Pedal for Peace projects.
Registration:
Click here to register online and select your t-shirt size. There is an option at this online registration site to mail a check to CRLN or bring it to the Pedal for Peace site on the day of the event rather than pay online, but you must register online. If you want to collect pledges in person, click here for an information and pledge list.
$10 student/low income; $15 after September 9, 2018
$20 adult; $25 after September 9, 2018
Children 12 and under free
If you prefer to reach out in person, keep track of checks and cash through this form (which can be turned in the afternoon of Pedal for Peace or mailed to CRLN at 4750 N. Sheridan Rd., Suite 429, Chicago, IL 60640-5078).
Location:
Main registration, starting point, fiesta and program site – Lincoln Park Grove 13 (west side of Barry Ave. underpass to Chicago Lakefront Bike Path)
Alternative registration and starting point – Dog Water Fountain (55th Street and Chicago Lakefront Bike Path)
Schedule and Route:
1:00 Gather and Ride! 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 hear about the work of the participating groups.
Riders Receive refreshments on the ride, food at the post-pedal fiesta, and a free T-shirt!

Bring with you:
Bike, helmet, cell phone, collected pledges and sponsorship checks.
Volunteer:
Email shunter-smith@crln.org with your name, email address, and phone number if you can support Pedal for Peace in any of the following ways:

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 another biker or to support the event in general

GUATEMALA UPDATE: ROOTS OF MIGRATION
2018-09-23 16:00 - 18:00 | IL
¡BIENVENIDOS A TODAS Y TODOS!

Please join us for a fun and informative program on

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
4 – 6 PM
at
Martha Pierce’s home
1231 Oak Avenue, Evanston

GUATEMALA UPDATE: ROOTS OF MIGRATION

Current political situation: expulsion of CICIG, US response

Ongoing struggles for indigenous rights and economic justice

Celebration of 25 years of partnership between CRLN and the returned-refugee community of Chaculá: 1994 – 2019

Donations accepted for CRLN’s advocacy and accompaniment work in Guatemala

RSVP: shunter-smith@crln.org

TPS Bus Journey for Justice dinner and presentation
2018-09-06 17:00 - 2018-09-07 19:00 | St. Pius Church Basement, 1919 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60608, United States
Join the members of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Bus Journey for Justice for dinner at St. Pius’ church basement, 1919 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, at 5pm, September 6, for dinner and a presentation about the effort to save TPS in the face of the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate the program.

Rally to Save Temporary Protected Status!
2018-09-06 13:15 - 14:15 | Ricahrd J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL, 60602
Rally at 1:15pm, Thursday, September 6, at Federal Plaza, Dearborn & Jackson, with beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and their supporters to save Temporary Protected Status in the face of the Trump Administration’s decision to terminate the program for hundreds of thousands of people.
Speakers will include Leslie Combs, District Director for Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a representative from the office of Senator Dick Durbin and TPS Journey for Justice participants, with benediction by Rev. Walter Baires of Ascencion Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.
A group of Temporary Protected Status holders launched a 12-week “Journey for Justice, starting in Los Angeles, in an effort to defend the program.
The caravan of TPS holders plan to travel to 50 cities to participate events, rallies, roundtable discussions and other activities while advocating for the TPS program and a pathway to permanent residency for its participants. They will be in Chicago September 6-7.
The TPS program offers a provisional reprieve from deportation to citizens of some countries, but the Trump administration has terminated legal protection for nearly half a million immigrants who were in the program, including people from El Salvador and Honduras.

Community Forum on the International Day of the Disappeared
2018-08-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Living Waters Church, 6808 N. Ashland Ave, Chicago, United States
CRLN is co-sponsoring this event with Living Waters Church. Those gathered will chant the names of those disappeared and declare them “presente.” Speakers will lift up the situations of mothers detained in ICE jails, children in Chicago shelters, the Ayotzinapa students and others who have “disappeared” in Mexico.

Building Bridges & Ending the Blockade of Cuba
2018-07-01 11:00 - 13:00 | IL
Welcome the 29th Cuba Friendshipment to Chicago!
For more than twenty years, IFCO/Pastors for Peace has organized Friendshipment Caravans to bring humanitarian aid to Cuba and illuminate the harmful effects of U.S. policy in Cuba through educational events in the United States. Join us to welcome the 29th Friendshipment Caravan to Chicago. This Caravan began on June 22 and will hold educational events in more than 35 cities before traveling to Cuba.
Building Bridges & Ending the Blockade of Cuba
Date: Sunday, July 1
Time: 11:00 am
Place: Fourth Presbyterian Church Room 4F (126 E. Chesnut, Chicago)
Gail Walker, Director of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO)/Pastors for Peace, will talk about the importance of building bridges between the people of the U.S. and Cuba and mobilizing people in the U.S. to end the economic blockade of Cuba and all travel restrictions.
In addition to the Friendshipments, IFCO coordinates a program for U.S. students from under-served communities to study medicine on full scholarship in Cuba. More than 170 U.S. students have already graduated and several are working in the Chicago area with under-served communities.
This event is sponsored by:
Fourth Presbyterian Church,
IFCO/Pastors for Peace, and
Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America
For more information contact Marilyn McKenna at 773-293-3680 or mmckenna@crln.org

Building Bridges & Tearing Down Walls
2018-06-30 18:00 - 22:00 | IL
Welcome the 29th Cuba Friendshipment to Chicago!
For more than twenty years, IFCO/Pastors for Peace has organized Friendshipment Caravans to bring humanitarian aid to Cuba and illuminate the harmful effects of U.S. policy in Cuba through educational events in the United States. Join us to welcome the 29th Friendshipment Caravan to Chicago. This Caravan began on June 22 and will hold educational events in more than 35 cities before traveling to Cuba.
Building Bridges & Tearing Down Walls
Date: Saturday, June 30
Time: Dinner 6-8 pm & Program 8-10 pm followed by salsa dancing
Place: Centro Autonomo (3460 W. Lawrence, Chicago, 2nd floor)
$10 donation (no one turned away)
Program will include a presentation by Gail Walker, Director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace, Music by trova musicians Ramon Marino and Luis Jahn and a performance by the Kummba Lynx Performing Ensemble.
For more information email: chicagocaravan2018@gmail.com

Families Belong Together- Chicago March
2018-06-30 11:00 - 13:00 | Ricahrd J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL, 60602
Date: Saturday, June 30
Time: 11 AM- 1 PM
Place: Richard J. Daley Center
CRLN will meet at 10:30 AM on the sidewalk in front of the Methodist Temple (77 W. Washington St., Chicago), then walk over to Daley Plaza to join the march.
Join together to protest this administration’s cruel policy of separating kids from their parents. Families belong together, and we need to end this — NOW.
A coalition of Immigrant Rights groups and allies, along with others are helping organize the Families Belong Together – Chicago March.
If you can’t make it to Chicago, go to FamiliesBelongTogether.org for more information on local events across the country.
Note: By choosing to attend this event, you are committing to participate nonviolently, to work to de-escalate confrontations with others, and to obey the orders of authorized event marshals. You also acknowledge that you are solely responsible for any injury or damage to your person or property resulting from or occurring during this event and that you release all event sponsors and organizers (and their officers, directors, employees, and agents) from any liability for that injury or damage.
ASL interpreters will be provided. Additional accessibility information will be posted as details of the rally are finalized.

Keep Families Together! Rally for Yesica!
2018-06-21 12:00 - 12:45 | Federal Plaza, 230 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, 60604, United States
Date: Thursday, June 21
Time: Noon
Place: Federal Plaza
Come rally with CRLN’s Immigrant Welcoming Congregations and others in the wider religious community opposed to ICE and CBP’s family separation strategy to deter asylum seekers and immigrants. We will rally to ask Senators Durbin and Duckworth to call ICE in support of releasing Yesica, a young woman who was separated from her family at the border, even though they were all threatened by gang members in El Salvador and were seeking asylum. She has been detained for 2 years.

"Political Crisis and Human Rights in Honduras," Angel Adelso Reyes
2018-05-14 18:00 - 20:00 | 8th Day Center for Justice, 205 W. Monroe St., #500, Chicago, IL, 60606
8th Day Center for Justice Speaker Series: Angel Adelso Reyes
Meet Adelso! Ángel Adelso Reyes is a parish coordinator and president of the health committee of San Nicolas, Santa
Barbara. He serves as president of the commitee for ecclesiastical work of the San Nicolas Catholic Church and
coordinates the Multi-Sector Network of vulnerable groups inSan Nicolas. He is part of the group of Friends of Radio Progreso (ECOS), which supports the promotion of the radio in the valley zones in his area of Santa Barbara.
HONDURAS IS SUFFERING A DEEP CRISIS. THIS HAS NOT STOPPED JESUIT FATHER MELO AND HIS TEAM FROM CONTINUING THEIR VALIANT WORK AS ONE OF THE FEW INDEPENDENT MEDIA SOURCES IN THE COUNTRY THROUGH RADIO PROGRESO AND AT THE CENTER FOR REFLECTION, RESEARCH & TRAINING (ERIC) WHERE THEY IDENTIFY, RECRUIT AND TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS TO BUILD THE BELOVED COMMUNITY, AND TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO ARE SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY OR POLITICALLY MARGINALIZED.
THIS MAY 2018, FATHER MELO AND A DELEGATION OF VICTIMS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS FROM HONDURAS WILL TRAVEL ON A TOUR TO EL PASO, SAN FRANCISCO, BOSTON AND CHICAGO TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE RISING REPRESSION IN HONDURAS AND CALL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE. FOLLOWING THESE VISITS, THEY WILL TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON DC FOR A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR
PEACE IN HONDURAS AND A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH CONGRESSIONAL AND
RELIGIOUS LEADERS.

2018-05-14 18:00 - 20:00 | 8th Day Center for Justice, 205 W. Monroe St., #500, Chicago, IL, 60606
8th Day Center for Justice Speaker Series: Angel Adelso Reyes
Meet Adelso! Ángel Adelso Reyes is a parish coordinator and president of the health committee of San Nicolas, Santa
Barbara. He serves as president of the commitee for ecclesiastical work of the San Nicolas Catholic Church and
coordinates the Multi-Sector Network of vulnerable groups in San Nicolas. He is part of the group of Friends of Radio
Progreso (ECOS), which supports the promotion of the radio in the valley zones in his area of Santa Barbara.
HONDURAS IS SUFFERING A DEEP CRISIS. THIS HAS NOT STOPPED JESUIT FATHER MELO AND HIS TEAM FROM CONTINUING THEIR VALIANT WORK AS ONE OF THE FEW INDEPENDENT MEDIA SOURCES IN THE COUNTRY THROUGH RADIO PROGRESO AND AT THE CENTER FOR REFLECTION, RESEARCH & TRAINING (ERIC) WHERE THEY IDENTIFY, RECRUIT AND TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS TO BUILD THE BELOVED COMMUNITY, AND “TO BE THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS.”
THIS MAY 2018, FATHER MELO AND A DELEGATION OF VICTIMS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS FROM HONDURAS WILL TRAVEL ON A TOUR TO EL PASO, SAN FRANCISCO, BOSTON AND CHICAGO TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE RISING REPRESSION IN HONDURAS AND CALL FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE. FOLLOWING THESE VISITS, THEY WILL TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON DC FOR A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE IN HONDURAS AND A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH CONGRESSIONAL AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS.

Save the date: ICE on Trial
2018-04-28 | IL
Save the date and join CRLN, Detention Watch Network, and many other organizations in the Chicagoland area for a people’s tribunal, as we put ICE on Trial in Kankakee on April 28th. We will be calling attention to abuses in the immigration enforcement system and demanding transparency and accountability.
More information will be available soon.

2018 Ecumenical Advocacy Days: A World Uprooted--Responding to Migrants, Refugees and Displaced People
2018-04-20 - 2018-04-23 | IL
Join CRLN for Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) in 2018 in Washington DC! Mark your calendars for April 20-23, 2018 and register at https://advocacydays.org/2018-a-world-uprooted to join us for education, skill building, advocacy trainings, and Congressional visits!
When you register, check “no” when asked if you will attend the Lobby Day. We will set up our own Congressional meetings for CRLN members to lobby on ongoing Latin America and immigration campaigns carried out by CRLN. We have reserved a block of rooms, so contact Sharon at shunter-smith@crln.org if you plan to go with us.
Learn more about immigration issues and human rights campaigns in Latin America. Then translate your new knowledge to advocacy work on Capitol Hill where you’ll speak with your Representative and Senators’ offices to make policy demands that support the work of undocumented leaders and our partners in Latin America. For questions, contact Sharon Hunter-Smith at shunter-smith@crln.org.
¡Únase a nosotrxs al encuentro anual del 2018 de Ecumenical Advocacy Days en Washington, DC! Marque en su calendario para el fin de semana del 20 al 23 de abril del 2018, registrarse a https://advocacydays.org/2018-a-world-uprooted y únase a nosotrxs para educación, capacitación, entrenamiento de cómo abogar, y visitas Congresionales. Aprenda más sobre los asuntos de inmigración y de campañas para los derechos humanos en América Latina. Después, puede aplicar su nuevo conocimiento en reuniones con su Representante y Senadores en las que puede exigir cambios políticos que apoyan el trabajo de lxs líderes indocumentadxs y nuestrxs compañerxs en América Latina. Si tiene preguntas, póngase en contacto con Sharon Hunter-Smith at shunter-smith@crln.org.

Lunch & Learn: Honduras
2018-04-19 12:00 - 13:30 | IL
Come hear about the experiences of those from Chicago who traveled with a 50-member national delegation to Honduras during the last week in January 2018. The delegation participated in public religious ceremonies and vigils remembering those who had been killed, demanding justice for the victims, and accompanying protesters under threat. They challenged U.S. inaction in the face of Honduran impunity for those whose human rights were violated and continued funding for the Honduran military and police despite their abuse of human rights.
Context: Electoral observation teams from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the European Union pronounced the process of the November 26 Honduran elections “highly irregular” and the results of the vote count untrustworthy. Incumbent President Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH) ran for a second term despite a Constitutional ban, was declared the winner weeks after the vote by an electoral tribunal stacked with members of his political party, has centralized power over all other branches of government in his hands, and has become a dictator in all but name. The U.S. quickly recognized his “victory.”
Citizens responded to what they considered a “second coup” (the first was the 2009 overthrow of the democratically elected president, Manuel Zelaya) by pouring into the streets, unarmed, to protest. In response, JOH deployed all military, police and special forces–many of them funded by the U.S.– against them. By the end of December, 30 were dead, dozens wounded, over a thousand imprisoned, with home raids, disappearances, and torture also used as tactics. By the time the delegation arrived, random people in cities where protests continued were being picked up and charged with serious crimes they did not commit.
Food: Bring your own lunch
Date & Time:
Thursday, April 19, 12 noon.

10th Anniversary El Pueblo Canta!
2018-04-14 17:30 - 20:30 | IL
Click here to buy your advance tickets, sponsor the event, reserve parking, and indicate the number of children needing childcare.
Date: Saturday, April 14, 2018
Location: Wellington Ave. UCC, 615 W. Wellington Ave.
Time: 5:30 pm — Come eat before the concert! Doors open at 5:30 pm with traditional Latino food for purchase.
7:00 – 8:30 pm — Concert
Parking: Limited complimentary parking passes are available thanks to Advocate IL Masonic Hospital. If you are a volunteer at the event, contact Kathy at waucc@sbcglobal.net to reserve a pass. If you plan to buy a ticket, the payment form below will also allow you to reserve a pass.
Childcare: On-site childcare is available. If you are a volunteer at the event, contact Kathy at waucc@sbcglobal.net with the number of children needing childcare. If you plan to buy a ticket, the payment form below will also allow you to indicate the number of children needing childcare.
Tickets: $25 general admission; $15 students/limited income; Children under 12 FREE
Click here to buy your advance tickets, reserve parking, and indicate the number of children needing childcare.

Meet Honduran trade union leader, Tomas Membreño, and !
2018-04-08 17:00 - 19:00 | IL
Please join us for a house party, held in the Rogers Park neighborhood, in support of the people of Honduras. The event is co-sponsored by the International Labor Rights Forum, Witness for Peace, and CRLN

Date/time: Sunday, April 8, 2018 | 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

RSVP: Space is limited to 50 people and will fill up. RSVP early to gabby@ilrf.org to hold your spot and to receive the address for the event.

In the immigration debate, we don’t often hear about how U.S. policies play a major role in exacerbating the push factors of migration, driving people from their homes to seek safety and security in the United States. In Honduras, recent U.S. policies have legitimized a violent dictatorship and implemented trade deals that exploit cheap labor. But a people’s movement has been re-born. Hondurans young and old are risking their lives to fight for a future where they can feed their families, have decent wages, and fully participate in a democratic society, without fear of reprisal. Come meet Honduran trade union leader, Tomas Membreño, and learn how people in the U.S. can hold the federal government and corporations accountable for their actions in Honduras.

Featuring:

Tomas Membreño, STAS (Honduran Agricultural Workers Union)
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D – IL)
Judy Gearhart and Gabby Rosazza, International Labor Rights Forum
Elise Roberts and John Walsh, Witness for Peace

Background on STAS:

El Sindicato de Trabajadores/as de la Agroindustria y Similares, or STAS, is a trade union that organizes workers to fight for justice on plantations in Honduras that are exporting fruit to U.S and European markets. They represent over 800 workers in the banana, melon, sugar, and palm oil sectors, industries long plagued by poverty wages and exposure to toxic pesticides. Their efforts to seek dignity in the workplace have come at a high cost, as Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a trade unionist. STAS members and union leaders have received death threats and been physically attacked for organizing workers. For the past five months, 300 palm oil workers have been on strike protesting illegal firings and severe labor violations. STAS is looking for international support for their current campaigns to win collective bargaining agreements on Fyffes melon plantations and Grupo Jaremar palm oil plantations.

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