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Caravana 43

Saturday, April 11, 2015
12:00 AM
Hatcher Graduate Library

#JusticeForAyotzinapa, Solidarity from Michigan / #JusticiaParaAyotzinapa, Solidaridad desde Míchigan is the Ann Arbor/Detroit stop in a multi-city caravan for the parents of the 43 students disappeared by state police.

One mother, one uncle and one classmate plan to visit Ann Arbor to do a public presentation about the disappearance of the students and to raise awareness about the ongoing violence occurring in their home state of Guerrero. The guests will discuss what they see as the path forward and how the international community can provide support to people working for peace and change in Mexico. The parents will present in Spanish with English translation. This event will be free and open to the public.

Following the official presentation, there will be a caminata from Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti in honor of the students and their work. The caminata is to show our solidarity with marches in Mexico and hopefully to draw media attention to the events in Ayotzinapa and ways in which people in the United States can offer support. It will NOT involve blocking traffic and will include a carefully planned route. We plan to have medics on hand and cars available should we need them.

The caminata will end at First Congregational United Church of Christ where walkers will be given snacks and water as well as offered transportation back to Ann Arbor. The parents will do another presentation, once again with English translation. The Washtenaw Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights (WICIR) is helping us do this part of the program.

Participants will then go to the Arbor Meadows Community Center for a dinner hosted by the community there. The guests will talk about the importance of the kind of education offered at the rural teacher training colleges and hear presentations by local Latin@ youth activists who are organizing around immigration issues and access to education. This event will be in Spanish and is being heavily advertised to the local Latina/o population with the help of community partners.