Delegations to Central America
STITCH Women's Building Bridges Delegations in Guatemala
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Learn about women and labor rights in Central America ; meet the women at the forefront of the movement and learn their unique approach to leadership; gain valuable experience in empowering women workers.
The STITCH women's delegation to Guatemala is designed to educate and inspire union women in the U.S. Participants meet with women union leaders in various industries, including the textile and banana sectors, to hear first-hand about the challenges facing women workers in Central America , and the realities of globalization, trade, and immigration. You will also experience the unique methods used to empower women in their unions and workplaces.
If you have ever wondered how you could best reach out to the immigrant women in your workplace, your union, or your community, this delegation will provide valuable tools that can be successfully translated into the US setting for organizing, building the confidence of women workers and organizers, and building ties of solidarity across groups of women workers.
When you return, you will be able to:
• Utilize lessons learned in Central America to break down barriers within your organization in the United States .
• Create and increase international solidarity networks between women.
• Understand and articulate the multi-ethnic reality of women in Guatemala , and the power structures of power of gender, race, and globalization.
COSTS
The registration fee covers the lodging, in-country travel, and meals during the participant's time in Guatemala . Participants must cover their own way to Guatemala City and cover incidental costs such as snacks and tips. The fee varies each year depending on current prices in Guatemala . In previous years, it has ranged from $850 - $1050. The 2010 fee will be posted in April, 2010.
Limited scholarships are available. There is also a full scholarship available to CLUW members.
ITINERARY
The itinerary may change slightly due to worker and presenter availability. Always included are a visit to a banana plantation in northern Guatemala, meetings with working women to discuss organizing strategies and share their particular situations and experiences, and presentations by local experts on worker's and women's rights. A full itinerary will be available at least one month prior to the trip.
Many past members of the STITCH language school delegation take action upon their return to the United States. Below are some links to their stories and activism over the past few years.
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| A May 2004 language school delegation outside of the SITRABI Union Hall in Guatemala. These activists met with pioneering women union organizers before their trip to the banana fields and processing plants to see first hand the lives of workers on the fincas. Photo: Janine Brown. |
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