Month: January 2016

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Libertad para Nestora / Free Nestora !

January 30, 6PM @ Swamptepec, Xicago

para la direccion contacte a: eastandsouth [at] riseup.net ; for address contact  eastandsouth [at] riseup.net

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Nestora Salgado es una luchadora social indigena y presa politica encarcelada en Mexico. Cuando inmigro de Guerrero, Mexico, a los Estados Unidos Nestora se hizo ciudadana naturalizada, pero continuo a desafiar la presion de assimilarse al ‘Sueño Americano’ y en vez regreso a Guerrero donde se une a la lucha para la auto-defensa y liberacion de su pueblo natal. Como Comandanta de la policia comunitaria en Olinalá, se enfrento con los narcotraficantes, empresas mineras transnacionales, y la violencia estatal patrocinada por los Estados Unidos y ejercida atravéz del pretexto de la “Guerra Contra el Narcotrafico”. Su resistencia a la represión estatal es parte de un continuo mas amplio de la lucha de los pueblos indigenas y afro-descendientes para la auto-defensa y autogestion. En particular, la CRAC (Coordinadora Regional de Autoridades Comunitarias) originando en la Costa Chica de Guerrero, ha vinculado las luchas de auto-defensa de las communidades indigenas y afro-mexicanas. Actualmente la Comandanta Nestora y 13 otrxs luchadorxs de la CRAC en Olinalá estan encarcelados. Acompañanos en una platica y discusión sobre como se puede apoyar a Nestora y a otrxs presxs politicxs, y para explorar como su caso desafía el narrativo dominante de la politica Mexico/E.E.U.U. y sobre porque el marco teórico de la ‘ciudadania’ ha sido insuficiente para lograr su liberacion.

Evento gratuito / Ingles/Español / comida de cooperación
Niños bienvenidos / sitio lamentablemente no es accesible a usuarios de sillas de ruedas

para la direccion contacte a: semillasautonomas at gmail dot com

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Nestora Salgado is an indigenous freedom fighter and political prisoner in Mexico. She immigrated to the US from Guerrero, Mexico — even though she became a naturalized US citizen, she defied the pressures to assimilate into the “American Dream” and instead returned to Guerrero to join her people’s armed struggle for liberation . As a Comandanta in a community self-defense force, Nestora confronted the narcotraffickers, transnational mining companies as well the state violence unleashed in Mexico under the guise of the US-backed “War on Drugs”. Her resistance to state repression is part of a larger continuum of African and Indigenous people’s struggles for self determination. Specifically, the CRAC (Regional Coordinating Committee of Community Authorities) emerged along the coast of Guerrero (Costa Chica) as a struggle for self-defense linking Afro-Mexican and Indigenous communities. Comandanta Nestora is one among 13 other political prisoners from the CRAC. Join us to talk about how to support Nestora and the other fighters, to explore how her case challenges dominant narratives iof US and Mexican politics, and why the framework of citizenship has been insufficient as a way to win her liberation.

Free event, Spanish/English. Potluck, bring whatever you can to share. Kids warmly welcome. Sadly this space is not wheelchair accessible.

for address email : eastandsouth [at] riseup.net

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Ayotzinapa: The Reform of the Normales (Education Reform)

By Prensa Ayotzi

To understand what is happening in Ayotzinapa one needs to understand the Mexican Education System, which is not yet as privatized and standardized as the U.S. There are free schools and Universities, that claim autonomy from the Government, where the fees are very low or even sliding scale like at the ENAH, the Anthropology and History University, one can pay 50 cents to 5000 pesos a semester. Very different to the Student Loan capital that is the U.S.
The Normal Schools of Mexico were born from the Mexican Revolution. One of the demands of the farmer/workers was Free Popular Education. Later, came the creation of the FECSM, The Federation of Campesino Socialists Students of Mexico, which formed as a student body that protected the students from the injustices that are commited by the Directors and Teachers of Institutions like the SEP ( Secretary of Public Education).  The Normal Schools are particularly to train students to become primary school teachers in rural ¨impoverished¨ areas.  Most of the students themselves are from the farmer/worker class. A ¨Maestro¨ in Mexico is a teacher who is trained not only in primary education, but also receives a political and social formation through a socialist lens. So a ¨Maestro¨ is not just a simple teacher but a political position that is often against the State because of the repression of the people for interests of Capitalism. Below you will read the article written by the Ayotzinapa Students on the Education Reform that intends to disappear the Normal Schools.

Ayotzinapa cradle of social consciousness. To eradicate Normalista education is one of the main objectives of Peña Nieto’s government. The imposition of the Reform of the Normal School means completely tearing down the whole project of literacy and culture that arose after the armed struggle of the Mexican Revolution. Now it´s not about meeting the need for knowledge of the people, but following the measures and standards that the international agencies decree to perpetuate their power.

Since years ago, the decommissioning of “maestro” training schools has been brewing, through the encouragement of private institutions, and along with it, budget cuts and tuition at public colleges. This imposes competition and obvious inequalites with clear advantages for the private sector (subjugated in advance to what the rulers say).

The Normales will no longer provide teacher training to future maestros, but provide only simple “professional” abilities, lacking educational training support …

The Comprehensive Plan of Diagnostic, Redisign, and Strengthening of the Normal Schools covers four areas:

– Form “suitable” teachers.

“To guarantee the adequacy of knowledge and ability to new entrants to Teacher Professional Service …” stipulated in the reform. We know beforehand, that the students of normal schools are not “suitable” or rather, compatible with the educational system: its [the Normales] formation includes their historical role as a participant and organizer of social transformation through knowledge, and it is precisely what their efforts intend to eradicate and replace, forming a simple facilitator of basic information. Continue reading →

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Ayotzinapa: La Reforma a las Normales (Reforma Educativa)

medioslibres 29 noviembre, 2015 Análisis, Educación, Ayotzinapa

Por Prensa Ayotzi

Ayotzinapa cuna de la conciencia socialErradicar la educación normalista es uno de los principales objetivos del gobierno de Peña Nieto. La imposición de la Reforma a las Escuelas Normales, significa echar abajo por completo el proyecto de alfabetización y cultura que surgió luego de la lucha armada de la revolución mexicana. Ya no se trata de atender la necesidad de conocimientos de los pueblos, sino adecuarse a las medidas y estándares que decretan los organismos internacionales para perpetuar su poder.

Desde años atrás, se ha estado fraguando el cierre definitivo de las escuelas formadoras de maestros, por medio del estímulo a las instituciones privadas, y por otro lado, el recorte presupuestal y de matrícula a las escuelas normales públicas, se impone la competencia en planos desiguales con clara ventaja para el sector privado (subyugado de antemano a lo que digan los gobernantes).

Las normales ya no brindaran formación pedagógica a los futuros maestros, solo brindaran simples capacitaciones carentes de sustento educativo… Continue reading →