Join me by giving to NISGUA today!

By making a gift today, you'll ensure the sustainability of NISGUA's work to continue cultivating long-term, transnational relationships supporting genocide survivors and indigenous communities.Between May 15 and May 31, 2020, all donations received up to $50,000 will be matched dollar for dollar!

Who is NISGUA?

For over three-decades, NISGUA has accompanied Guatemalan genocide survivors and indigenous communities, who are under threat for their political work, in their struggle for justice and accountability.NISGUA uses physical accompaniment to dissuade violence and facilitate connections between partners in Guatemala and the U.S.Generations of accompaniers from the U.S. have traveled to rural regions of Guatemala to live, share, and stand in solidarity with these human rights activists.To date, NISGUA has accompanied genocide survivors in over a half-dozen high-profile case of grave human rights violations, some of which took over 10-years for victims to see a conviction handed down. Through this process, NISGUA has built strong networks between U.S. and Guatemala communities of people who can mobilize for urgent advocacy actions when partners are threatened or attacked and organize campaigns to change foreign policy towards Central America.As the Trump administration’s racist policies against immigrants and support for authoritarian governments in the region have put thousands of people’s lives at risk, NISGUA and its partners form part of a transnational movements working to stop these practices.

Accompaniment in the Time of COVID-19

We are living through times of intense need.Communities across the country and around the world are grappling with hunger, lack of shelter, and isolation as the COVID-19 pandemic exponentially aggravates systemic injustice already existing in our society.At the same time, the chaos caused by the pandemic obscures actions by states that undermine fundamental rights.These impacts are most easily seen and felt locally but reach across international borders.In a global pandemic, we must support international responses.

In Guatemala, in addition to the growing number of infection cases, we are seeing the pandemic used as a cover for increase militarization of indigenous communities, expedite human rights legal proceedings without transparency, and take xenophobic actions against immigrant communities. The human rights situation in Guatemala is likely to worsen in the coming months.

Right now, NISGUA is continuing its important work to accompany indigenous, immigrant, and human rights communities remotely by:

• Temporarily substituting physical accompaniment with virtual accompaniment to ensure the continued safety of partners in Guatemala and provide updates and opportunities to take action to partners in the U.S.;
• Organizing a coalition of over twenty-five Central American and U.S. organizations to oppose the unjust Asylum Cooperation Agreements, known as “safe third country agreements,” that place immigrants and asylum-seekers in peril;
• Continuing to amplify the voices of partners in Guatemala and facilitate opportunities for political education and horizontal exchange, such as this webinar about Indigenous territory and migration, originally planned as a speaking tour, that ultimately reached over 800 participants!

What will your gift support?

• Cross-border organizing: NISGUA facilitates exchange between movements in the U.S. and Guatemala through virtual meetings, webinars, speaking tours, and delegations. Read about our most recent delegation here.
• Campaign development: In order to bring about long-term change, we know that educating our base and speaking truth to power is crucial. Check out our ongoing campaign to stop the safe third country agreements in Central America.
• International accompaniment: We are excited to re-launch our accompaniment program in 2021. Read more here.
• Relationship-building with Guatemalan partners: Staff and volunteers maintain regular contact with our Guatemalan counterparts who are fighting for justice and defending their territories. What we learn from our partners informs every other strategy we employ. Learn more here.

By making a gift today, you'll ensure the sustainability of NISGUA's work to continue cultivating long-term, transnational relationships grounded in a shared vision for global change. This is a crucial moment and every dollar counts. Join me right now in supporting NISGUA’s work and your contribution will make double the impact!