Dear CASA amig@s

We would like to start this month's newsletter with good news but our hearts remain hurt when on on April 27th a solidarity and support caravan was attacked by paramilitaries before arriving to San Juan Copala, an autonomous municipality 3 hours away from Oaxaca City.

During the attack against the Support and Solidarity Caravan, two compañeros were assassinated by paramilitary forces, Alberta "Bety" Cariño and Jyri Jaakkola.  This month's newsletter is dedicated to Bety and Jyri and their work for social justice. 

Also, please take a moment to read the Urgent Call for Solidarity that CASA Chapulin wrote to read more about what happened, how U.S. foreign policies that are financing militarization, and consider signing your organization on to the list. 

*CONTENT*

CASA participated with CACITA at the Encuentro for an Autonomous Life held in Oaxaca City in April.  Read the article and see the pictures to get the scoop on the encuentro which involved a number of activities including: displays of appropriated technologies related to sustainable energies, dry toilets, consumer responsibility, displays of traditional and indigenous medicines, free software workshops, and roundtables on climate change.

Click here to read about the fourth anniversary of the attacks in San Salvador Atenco, where 12 companeros are still being unjustly imprisoned for defending their lands against the construction of an airport and a so-called ecological recovery project.  Movement for Justice in El Barrio from the Other New York write a heartfelt letter to their sisters and brothers from the People’s Front in Defense of the Land and allies around the world. 

Read more about upcoming events starting May 17th in Oaxaca in commemoration of International Day Against Homophobia. 

The state of Arizona becomes the first state in the U.S. to consider it a crime to be an undocumented immigrant. 

CASA will be participating at the Allied Media Conference (AMC) and U.S. Social Forum (USSF) in June in Detroit this year and we hope you can join us too! At the AMC we will be providing a workshop in the Medios Caminantes Track on building solidarity between immigrant/Latin@ media groups and social movements in Latin America.  And at the USSF we hope to organize a workshop for former CASA members and give them the scoop on the new initiatives that CASA is working on to strengthen cross-border grassroots organizing and ways for them and allies to plug into the action. 

Help CASA survive by contributing to our Fundraising Drive! So far we have reached $610!  As many of you know, we encourage members and allies to support our work by donating to CASA Chapulin. We operate on a tight shoestring budget and depend on grassroots fundraising efforts made by you.   Donations will go towards maintaining a collective space open and ensuring that 2 coordinators keep building a grassroots base in Oaxaca.  All it takes is a $25 donation to help CASA operate for a day. All donations are tax-deductible. 

 If you would like to support us, there are two ways to contribute. The easiest way to donate is online via our Contribute page. But you can also donate via checks made out to "Rights Action" with "CASA" specified in the memo line. Mail checks to:

Your monthly or annual donation provides the most stability for CASA, but one time donations of any amount are genuinely appreciated. Thank you for all your time and support for building healthy and dignified communities.


la lucha sigue,

C.A.S.A. Chapulin Collective
Oaxaca, México.