Almost a month ago, 23 Latino Community Members and strategic allies from Memphis, Jackson, and Nashville, TN came to the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center to attend the grassroots organizing training named, “GOT PODER.”
It was not the first time that Mid-South Peace and Justice Center has conducted this training with the Latino Community, but was actually a third event for M.S.P.J.C. More trainings focused on local communities in need, have also been planned.
Presently, the Latino community of Memphis and surrounding areas are working very hard to stop disenfranchisement laws. They have been learning that the most effective way to stop these laws is to be organized. History has been teaching us this, not only with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960‘s but also the Chicano Movement, the Grape Strike lead by Cesar Chavez, and a most recent movement that struggles with laws dehumanizing immigrants.
In 2012, Memphis is no exception to this struggle. While most people could say that Memphis is not like Arizona or Alabama in regard to discriminatory laws such as SB1070, 287G or HB 56, etc.; it is accurate to say that every year TN legislators are tempted to implement a copycat proposal of those bills. The common ground of such bills is to prohibit undocumented families from having access to housing, education, work and critical public services*.
In response, members of the Latino community, whether documented or not, and their allies are educating themselves in how to be organized, promote equality, and practice solidarity in the stand against discrimination.
*For more information about TN immigrant issues please visit the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition website www.tnimmigrant.org)
Following the GOT PODER Training, several attendees participated in the organization of a multi-cultural immigrant celebration named “Memphis Unafraid“ welcoming the Undocubus* to Memphis. This was a bus with approximately 30 undocumented immigrants traveling from Arizona to North Carolina giving a simple but very important message: “We are the undocumented- without papers and without fear”.
- *For more information about The Undocubus visit www.nopapersnofear.org
The Undocubus riders were encouraging undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows of fear and take action for their own human rights, as well as vicariously the rights of others being represented culturally.
After a cultural celebration full of dance, poetry, theater, music and storytellers, three Memphis-Latino community members joined the Undocubus on their journey. Two of those were Raul Venegas and Jose Salazar; both of whom also had been part of Got PODER and Core Organizing Training. The third was Daniel Marquez- father of West TN organizer Gabriela Benitez for T.I.R.R.C. (TN Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition).
One of the several stops for the Undocubus riders was Knoxville, TN. This is a city that has been threatened by anti-immigrant laws and whose Sheriff had once refused discussion with the immigrant community. The Undocubus riders, allies and community members let their voices be heard with a Nonviolent Direct Action blocking an intersection close to the Sheriff office.
Four people were arrested, with one of those being Marcela Lou- another participant of GOT PODER training. This was the first time in history that Latino community members, consisting both of documented, undocumented and immigrant allies were arrested in a Nonviolent Direct Action (N.V.D.A.) in this state.
Following further discussion with these courageous participants of the Undocubus and the N.V.D.A. in Knoxville, TN and hearing of the impact GOT PODER has had on them for taking action has encouraged M.S.P.J.C. to continue the work of training people and training communities for social justice for all.
The M.S.P.J.C. training staff would love to serve your group or organization. Please contact allison@midsouthpeace.org to talk about how we can create a training that meets your groups’ needs.
We also have trainings in Spanish.
Ofrecemos Entrenamientos en Español, por favor contacte a gio@midsouthpeace.org