WNY Peace Center’s Latin American Solidarity persists with LASC 

Hola, Nuestro Amigos!! Nos sentimos honrados de trabajar en solidaridad con las comunidades Latinas! While the WNY Peace Center (WNYPC) was one of the first chapters (in 1967) of Rev. Dr. King’s Clergy & Laity Concerned, the needs and rights of Latinx people were soon part of its agenda.

The WNYPC started the Latin American Solidarity Committee (LASC) in the 1980s, in response to the terrible aggression perpetuated by the U.S. government on the peoples of Central (and South) America. Affinity groups were created to defend the rights of immigrants and refugees at risk of incarceration and/or deportation. Those efforts were tied to the creation of “Vive La Casa”, now part of the courageous and inspiring Jericho Road Community Health Center; and those efforts are still going on, including through LASC and its allies.  LASC holds monthly Peace Coffeehouses, usually on the 4^th Monday of the month at the Canisius University Science Hall Lounge. Great speakers and activists – local, national, and international, from South and Central America, and the Caribbean – come to inform, connect, and collaborate with others in solidarity.  The LASC Coffeehouses scheduled (both at the Science Hall Lounge of Canisius University) currently include

February 26th, Monday. 7-9 pm, Reports from along the southern border will be provided by Howard Henry & and Lee Ann Grace, who will have just gotten back from their work with the Migrant Resource Center in Agua Prieta, Sonora Mexico. They also help with a Mexican coffee cooperative and will bring us up to date about the situations of refugees and immigrants at our southern border, on:

March 25th, Monday. 7-9 pm, Solidarity with farmworkers in WNY. Wilmer Jimenez, originally from Guatemala, is now the WNY Regional Coordinator for Rural Migrant Ministry, a wonderful group, long-standing allies with LASC and the WNYPC. He’ll talk about the Rural Migrant Ministry’s work to welcome strangers and asylum-seekers, support farmworkers and families, and focus on youth empowerment. In the January coffeehouse, we were blessed to hear from Flor Saldivar Silvestre, Community Engagement Coordinator for Justice for Migrant Families, learning how we can help immigrants in WNY.

Previous speakers included Rocco Anastasio,  Christian Parra, Talia Rodriguez, Nadya Pizarro, and more – leaders in our local community; as well as international speakers from sister organizations including: IFCO/Pastors for Peace, Alliance for Global Justice, Rights Action, Maya Educational Foundation, NISGUA  (Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala), CISPES  (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador), Sophia’s Circle (assisting a Chiapas weaving cooperative) http://weaving-for-justice.org, and more.

LASC is dedicated to education and advocacy for our Latin American neighbors and brings speakers with first-hand knowledge to assist ongoing struggles for social justice and human rights throughout the Western hemisphere.

We hope for your input! LASC’s monthly planning meeting(s) are on the first Monday of the month, 7 pm-9 pm, at Canisius College Science Hall. Puerto Rico is an area of special interest. And/or please contact Terry Bisson (bisson@canisius.edu; 716-838-2962).

Note: You’re also welcome to WNYPC’s Annual Meeting on Monday, 2/19 @3pm, 1272 Delaware (Carriagehouse)!