Victory is possible - with your help!

Thank you for opening this to support me and my work with the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) <3

Most of you have given so much already. To me, to Palestine, to Altadena, to loved ones, to strangers, to friends. I don’t have perfect words to ask for your donations today. But I have a story that I think we desperately need in these turbulent times - I know I do.

My fundraising goal is $3,500 because it’s what I raised last year thanks to you! But the truth is that NISGUA needs so much more. If able, please double your gift.

The story is from one of NISGUA’s organizational partners, the Xinka Parliament:

Just last Thursday the Xinka Parliament said NO to the Escobal mine in a press conference outside the Guatemalan Presidential Palace. This mine is owned by the second largest silver mining transnational on the planet: Pan American Silver. Since 2013 the mine has imposed itself on Xinka territory, which has extremely high concentrations of silver and other minerals, with government approval but without community consultation or consent. The mine's operations caused constant tremors and earthquakes in the community. Things got to the point where the foundations of dozens of nearby homes were cracking, breaking and making it unsafe to live. Shortly after, the water and soil started showing signs of contamination, and people starting showing signs of sickness that did not exist before the mine. No consent. Displacement. Contamination. Sickness.

In response, the Xinka people started organizing. Since 2018, they have successfully suspended mining operations through peaceful community resistance, legal action and international solidarity. A 24/7/365 peaceful encampment with hundreds of community members taking weekly shifts has blocked road entrances to the mine for years. Xinka lawsuits in Guatemalan and international courts have achieved temporary stoppages of the mine. NISGUA has recruited, trained and placed international human rights accompaniers alongside the Xinka Parliament, at their request, from the beginning of this struggle — amongst other things, we have offered spaces of psycho-social support and sanctuary for various leaders; written reports on the situation for international audiences; lobbied U.S. politicians to promote the Xinka cause; coordinated with international coalitions to educate investors on the truth of the company they're invested in; and most recently, NISGUA provided live language interpretation at the “NO to the mine” press conference and we translated the official communiqué which is now being circulated internationally.

Xinka success has been paid in blood and exile: The company has collaborated via shadow networks and third parties to intimidate and repress the Xinka people. Last week’s press conference is the positive result of two years of Xinka “community consultation” — the legal and human right of all Indigenous people to “free, prior and informed consent” regarding extractive projects on their land — putting the Xinka People one step closer to expelling the mine from their land. Xinka victory will be historic, as their struggle already is, sending ripples across the world in matters of law and politics, not to mention the example and inspiration they provide, showing that everything is possible through organized community resistance and international solidarity.

This is what we do, what I do. Your donations allow me to continue recruiting and training accompaniers; building networks of international solidarity; producing educational materials for English speaking audiences; and so much more! From today to May 31, a small group of donors has promised to match every dollar up to $55,000 — PLEASE donate as much as possible so that your gift is doubled!

Thank you, with all my heart

Frank