PCASC In Action!

Latin American solidarity, immigrant rights, labor rights and media activism: a look at a year of PCASC activism and events, with news links.

A sampling of PCASC's incredible work over the past year...we'll add earlier items from 2006 soon! After our September 9th planning retreat, we'll have an update on our new immigrant rights and Latin American labor solidarity campaigns!

September 2006:

* PCASC takes a lead, as a member of the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC), in organizing a mass immigrant rights march in downtown Portland.

October 2006:

* Working with Witness for Peace, PCASC hosted Colombian campesino leader Rene Chaux. Chaux met with congressional aides and spoke to community members about the negative effects of U.S. military aid and trade policy on Colombia. Chaux advocated for an end to U.S. funded fumigation and the proposed U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Read the El Hispanic News article here www.elhispanicnews.com/archivo/2006/october/101206ehnpub.pdf

* Along with the Linder Family and Green Empowerment, PCASC took a lead role in organizing an event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Ben Linder's muder in Nicaragua by U.S. backed Contra soldiers. Over 300 people attended the event. Read the Willamette Week article here: http://pcasc.net/news/pcasc-news/wilamette-week-editorial-by-kyle-cassidy

November 2006:

* PCASC hosted Salvadoran youth organizer Jose Oswaldo Nataren. Nataren, besides speaking at a large public presentation, led workshops and discussions with MEChA students at Madison High School and Sisters in Action for Power. Read the El Hispanic News article here

www.elhispanicnews.com/archivo/2006/november/110906ehnpub.pdf and the El Centinela article here
http://www.elcentinelacatolico.org/articles/2006-11/11507.html

* PCASC organized a successfull NW Labor Delegation to Venezuela and Colombia. Nine union activists from seven different unions attended this historic delegation. Over the following months, delegates reported back to hundreds of local unionists and community members. Read the Oregonian article here:

http://pcasc.net/news/pcasc-news/local-union-leaders-share-insight-from-trip

December 2006:

* PCASC and the PCASC Comité Latino organized an International Migrants Day panel discussion and dinner at St. Andrew's Church. Over 100 community members attended. Luis Diaz and his daughter Jenny spoke about their fight for family reunification. Luis' wife and two of his children were deported to Guatemala last year. The teenage children had spent almost their entire life in the U.S.

February 2007

* The Sweatfree Portland Campaign, initiated by PCASC, organized a protest of over 100 labor, religious and community activists in front of City Hall demanding a Sweatfree purchasing ordinance.

March 2007

* PCASC organized a fundraiser for United Brotherhood of Carpenters organizer Luis Mendoza, raising almost $4,000. Luis, a longtime Carpenters organizer and immigrant rights leader, is being deported from the U.S. after 20 years of working and living here.

April 2007:

* Authors and activists David Bacon and Juan Sandoval discuss how corporate globalization and neoliberal economic policies in Mexico cause migration.

* PCASC helped initiate a large demonstration led by laid off Freightliner workers against Senator Ron Wyden's support for CAFTA and other "Free" Trade Agreements. Read the Willamette Week article here: http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3322/8807/

May 2007:

* PCASC, as part of PIRC, organizes the May First demonstration for immigrant worker rights. Read an Oregonian article here: http://www.causaoregon.org/for-the-press/may-day-mood-is-calm-conciliatory

* PCASC hosts Charles Hardy, author of Cowboy in Caracas, a book about the revolutionary changes taking place in Venezuela.

* PCASC sends union organizer Laura Close on a delegation to El Salvador. Laura hosted a workshop on organizing strategies in the U.S. and El Salvador upon her return.

* PCASC's Organizational Development committee holds our first volunteer orientation for a number of new and old volunteers.

June 2007:

* PCASC takes a lead role in organizing a successful Portland press conference and vigil in Mulino against hate attacks on two Latino men. Read the Oregonian coverage here: http://pcasc.net/news/pcasc-news/no-hate-oregonian/view and

http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/stories/index.ssf?/base/news/1180927537152290.xml&coll=7

* PCASC, JWJ and ORFTC organize a demonstration against Earl Blumenauer's probable support of upcoming "Free" Trade Agreements and posts a video on youtube (http://youtube.com/watch?v=pxR6whr2NFw). Judging from the number of times our video was viewed, PCASC's first foray into e-video activism was a big success and, judging from the calls we received, Blumenauer's office definitely took notice.

* PCASC and el Comité Latino activists respond to the Del Monte immigration raid and took a lead role in organizing a large June demonstration at ICE headquarters calling for an end to the raids and for the release of detainees. Read the Oregonian article here: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1181714111230880.xml&coll=7

August 2007:

* Over 100 people attended the Bolivarian Media Exchagne initiated Grassroots Media Camp. Dozens of workshops were offered, many of them in Spanish.

* The Comité Latino raises almost $7,000 (and counting) for victims of the Del Monte raid.

* The Portland Sweatfree Campaign, initiated and housed by PCASC, passed a Sweatfree purchasing resolution at Portland City Hall. Listed to OPB's coverage here: http://news.opb.org/article/portland-approves-sweatshop-free-resolution/

Ongoing:

* Aside from a brief hiatus in Summer 2007, the Bolivarian Media Exchange has hosted successful monthly Cine Club film nights. Cine Club films highlight social justice struggles in Latin America and immigrant rights in the U.S. Screenings have attracted a diverse array of Portland community members.

* The Comité Latino has continued successful workshops on immigrant rights and leadership development in Portland area Catholic Churches, schools and community centers and is in the process of building five base committees. The Comité has a strong base in N/NE Portland, Gresham, Cornelius and Hilsboro. Read a profile of Comité Latino leader Dagoberto Flores from the Portland Mercury: http://portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=375693&category=375674

* Oaxaca solidarity: PCASC supported multiple protests in support of the popular uprising in Oaxaca, Mexico. Read one Oregonian article from 2006 here: http://pcasc.net/news/newswire/oregonians-caught-up-in-oaxaca-violence