Living the Peoples Movements Assembly in the Southwest organizing tour

The People’s Movement Assembly Southwest Organizing tour- The Conclusion

by Alba Mota on Friday, July 15, 2011 at 10:36am

By Alba Mota

The People’s Movement Assembly Southwest Organizing tour from June 1st to July 6th, 2011 served as political and social catalyst for flow and exchange of information and network building related to the social and political struggles of the disenfranchised communities of the Southwest of the United States.

On one hand, encouraging discussion, analysis and understanding of the issues of the Southwest indigenous community such as: land and water contamination, warfare production near civilian communities, lack to access to quality food for indigenous communities, right to food sovereignty, violations of sacred land and mountains, and other hand, taking a closer look to the Chicano movement history and the young people involvement in community organizing. How these young people are seeking to find through cultivation of the land a way to identify issues and seek a different approach for fighting back.

Nonetheless, these struggles are very much invisible to the rest of the country and disconnected to the realty that touches upon the reality of the rest of the United States and Latin America. The PMS Southwest organizing tour organizers and participants were able to shade lights through interviews, videos and photos to some of the stories of individuals, community organizations, and indigenous nations of California, Nevada, the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The PMA’s SW Organizing tour created also a space to consolidate previous relations and build new ones. The experience of staying at organizers’ houses was a way to build more truth and a sense of comradely among social justice organizers.  Another great experience was the mode of transportation by road, which permitted us to reconnect with nature; the great view of the spectaculars and sacred mountains, lake, deserts and beautiful mesas was breath taking and an absolutely a godly experience.

As a Bronx resident and activist, learning and connecting with these community’s struggles and local social issues that seem so distant became a pivotal national platform, making me realize the necessity that exist to keep each other struggles in our political and social lenses.

Our communities' political isolation and the economic and social oppressions orchestrated by the status quo, serve as the common denominator that bring us together, hence, our strategy for closing the gap is to connect the dots of struggles, exchange of information on community and political organizing as well as learning of our people’s spiritually for a higher understanding of how our local community’s oppression is directly connected to the global struggle.

Ps: Please visit the blog to learn more about the Peoples Movements Assembly Southwest Organizing Tour. Very blessed to be part of it. http://peoplesmovementsassembly.blogspot.com/