What is the Zapatista Solidarity Coalition?

The Zapatista Solidarity Coalition actively supports the Zapatista
communities in Chiapas.They continue to resist the Mexican
military and paramilitary efforts to divide and destroy those com-
munities.We raise money to fund creative economic development,
education and health projects.Thousands of dollars have been sent
to help people who have been displaced by the cruel para-military
groups sponsored by the uncaring Mexican Government.This
money has been spent to build schools and to develop cooperative
stores and health clinics.

Fund raisers are held to sell T-shirts,sweatshirts and other
items prodused locally,as well as arts and crafts from Chiapas such
as huipiles(dresses),purses,belts,bracelets,wall hangings.From
Mexico we also bring beautiful T-shirts whit messages of resistance.

The ZSC works to educate people in the U.S.about the
situation in Chiapas,Mexico by presentations employing
slides,videos and speakers.Presentations are made to schools,
universities,church and community groups.We also disseminate
information by making appearances on radio and television and by
writing articles for the print media.

We strive to put Zapatista principles into practice here in
our own community.This is done by sponsoring cultural programs
work with students and support the efforts of workers to organize.
We work in a collaborative,non-hierachial fashion.We invite you to join us!
The meeting is the first Sunday of each month at 10:00AM.

Zapatista Solidarity Coalition
909 12th St.#118
Sacramento,CA 95814
(916)443-3424 or zapa@zsc.org

U.S. and Canadian Chiapas Solidarity Groups and NGOsBikes for Chiapas

http://www.schoolsforchiapas.org/bikes/San Diego, CABuilding Bridges Chiapas Observer

Project http://www.vcn.bc.ca/building/Vancouver, BC CanadaCarolina Interfaith Task Force


on Central America http://www.citca.org/16 chapters across North and South

CarolinaCharlottesville Latin American Solidarity Committee (no website) Charlottesville,

VAChiapas Coalition 98 http://thedagger.com/chiapas/Los Angeles, CAChiapas Education

Project (no website) Durham, NCChiapas Media Project http://www.chiapasmediaproject.org/or

http://www.promedios.org/Chicago, ILChiapas Peace House

http://www.chiapaspeacehouse.org/Chicago, ILChiapas Support Committee

http://www.chiapas-support.org/Oakland, CACloudforest Initiatives

http://www.hwpics.com/cloudforest-mexico/St. Paul, MNCommittee of Indigenous Solidarity

http://cis.mahost.org/Washington, D.CCommittee against Repression and for Democracy in

Mexico (no website) Seattle, WACommittee in Solidarity with Central American People

http://www.efn.org/~ciscap/Eugene, ORCommittee on US/Latin American Relations

http://www.rso.cornell.edu/cuslar/Ithaca, NYCommunity Action on Latin America

http://www.calamadison.org/Madison, WICoordinadora Internacional de Apoyo al Pueblo de

Mexico (no website) Chicago ILDenver Chiapas Coalition (no website) Denver, CODoctors for

Global Health http://www.dghonline.org/Decatur, GAEstación Libre (no website) various cities

in U.S.Global Exchange http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/mexico/San Francisco,

CAGrassroots Interconnect publishes a quarterly newsletter called Interconnect whose purpose

is to encourage dialogue on movement-building among 1750 US-Latin America solidarity groups

and to share resources. (no website) Pittsford, NYHoward County Friends of Latin America

http://members.home.com/howardrights/hocofola/chiapas.htmBaltimore, MDIllinois Maya

Ministry http://www.illinoismayaministry.org/Westchester, ILInterReligious Task Force on

Central America (no website) Cleveland, OHKentucky Interfaith Task Force on Latin America

\and the Caribbean (no website) Louisville, KYMexico Solidarity Network

http://www.mexicosolidarity.org/Chicago, ILNew York Zapatistas (no website) New York, New

YorkOrganic Consumers Association http://www.organicconsumers.org/chiapas/Little Marais,

MNPastors for Peace/Interreligious Fdtn. for Community Organization

http://www.ifconews.org/chiapas.htmlNew York, New YorkPeace Brigades International

http://www.peacebrigades.org/Washington, D.C.Pledge of Resistance

http://poetics.org/DaytonPOR/default.htmDayton, OHPortland Central American Solidarity

Committee (no website) Portland, ORPueblo por la Paz, Tucson

http://members.tripod.com/~PPLPTucson, AZRochester Committee on Latin America, a

project of Metro Justice http://www.metrojustice.org/task_forces.htmRochester, NYSchools

for Chiapas http://schoolsforchiapas.org/San Diego, CASIPAZ International Service for Peace

http://www.sipaz.org/Santa Cruz, CAStudents Taking Action in Chiapas (STAC)

http://www.stacmexico.com/Halifax, Montreal, and PetersboroughWitness for Peace

http://www.witnessforpeace.org/mexico/index.htmlWashington, D.C.Zapatista Block

http://www.geocities.com/zapatistablock/index1.htmWashington, D.C.Zapatista Solidarity

Coalition http://www.zapata-revolt.blogspot.com Sacramento, CA

Victor Rivera of the Coalicion Zapatista of Sacramento demonstrated against the visit of Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo. Chronicle Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez.

Protesters in Sacramento shouted to Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, who was speaking inside the Capitol. Chronicle Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez .

US and Canada

Zapatista Network Call

April 8, 2006 - 5:20pm — Gary

To the compañeras in every corner of the so-called US and Canada,To all the peoples of the continent named America,To the struggling Peoples of the Global South and the world,To all the adherents of the Sixth Declaration, the Other Campaign, and the International Campaign,To the national and international alternative press

We, the Zapatista Network, are reaching out as a newly emerging “network of networks” to invite companer@s in the so-called U.S. and Canada to “walk together” as Zapatista grassroots and community-based groups who support the Zapatistas and are inspired by Zapatismo. Our intent has been to create spaces of encounter so that diverse groups can share ideas, resources and projects as part of a larger process to strengthen each collectives’ work, solidarity efforts, and rebellion. We also aim to promote and support the formation of new Zapatista inspired collectives. By saying “network of networks” we propose one of many overlapping webs of resistance taking place all over the world.

Since January 1, 1994 when the EZLN declared ¡Ya Basta! Mexican and International Civil Society have responded in solidarity creating a broad base of support. The Zapatistas’ commitment to encounter and dialogue has made it possible to collectively imagine “a world where many worlds fit.” Some communities working in solidarity with the Zapatistas have responded with aid, while others used direct action to help halt the military and state repression, drawing attention to the low intensity war directed against the Zapatistas. The response to the Zapatista rebellion has been unique not only in its diversity but its intensity. Solidarity efforts have served to keep people informed, provide material support, and protest the cruel excesses of military and state repression. More importantly, communities around the world and in the US have pursued their own resistance locally, attempting to imagine and realize a different way of doing politics.

In August 2004 the Committee of Indigenous Solidarity-DC-Zapatistas sent out a call to form a zapatista network in the U.S. and Canada that was initially referred to as red “Plan Morelia-Polo Norte” (in response to and in solidarity with the Plan La Realidad-Tijuana in Mexico). This call was made in order to construct one avenue of many for zapatista inspired groups in this region of America to dialogue and construct networks of support. Of the Zapatista related collectives and groups who responded to this initial call, we began talking together about encuentro, Zapatismo, Zapatista solidarity and how to reach out to others so that we all know that we are not alone.
Regarding the Zapatistas as offering profound new political strategies and alternatives whose relevance goes well beyond Chiapas, there have been two encuentros inspired by this effort to form a bi-national network and in response to the Zapatistas’ proposals in the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle. One was in August 2005 in Oakland, California and the other in November 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Both were amazing successes and have lead to a stronger networking among the numerous Zapatista groups and individuals in California. As these encuentros have strengthened networks and community in California, we would like to see this spread in other parts of the U.S. and Canada alongside Mexico and the whole of the Americas.

Additionally, through sustained dialogue, the grassroots organizations and collectives involved thus far have come to eight “points of agreement” (preliminary and subject to change by the collective voice). These are: A commitment to horizontal, egalitarian, fully inclusive and transparent structures and processes in all aspects of our activities and interactions; reciprocal respect for the autonomy and independence of all member organizations; support for the Zapatistas’ “Other Campaign” in solidarity with the efforts of our Mexican Compañer@s to unify the struggle, and in recognition of the need to pursue a similar project north of the Rio Grande, throughout the U.S. and Canada; a commitment to carry out our solidarity support work for the autonomous Zapatista communities of Chiapas in full accordance with the protocols established by the Good Government Juntas and the autonomous rebel Zapatista municipalities (MAREZ); a commitment to advance Zapatismo as political thought and as a method for resistance in our local struggles; solidarity in principle with all global struggles being waged by the people of the world for humanity and against neoliberalism; support and respect for the choices of the autonomous Zapatista communities to struggle in defense of their lives, humanity and environment and against neoliberalism in any way they deem necessary; a commitment to participate to the best of our abilities in the operational processes and development of the Zapatista Network (“Zapared”).

As the “Other Campaign” advances, we see it as urgent that this network is available to support such initiatives. Consequently, we are publicly announcing the existence of this emergent network which we are calling the Zapatista Network and are reaching out to Companer@s in the U.S and Canada in the hope to encourage more connections and strengthen webs of resistance.
We invite you to join us, as we begin this dialogue to create a “world where many worlds fit.” As a medium to facilitate an ongoing encounter, there is an interactive website with a private blog for collectives and an open forum available for individuals. There will also be a resource archive. For more information about the network, visit our web site. If you’re interested in participating, feel free to contact the Zapatista Network at zaparedinfo@list.riseup.net, or contact any of our member organizations directly. Acción Zapatista de Humboldt (Arcata, CA) Manolo Callahan, mc92@humboldt.edu

Acción Zapatista of Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA) Jordan Camp, jcamp@umail.ucsb.edu
Chiapas Support Committee (Oakland, CA) Mary Ann Tenuto-Sánchez, cezmat@igc.org
Committee of Indigenous Solidarity-DC Zapatistas (Washington, DC) Adrián Boutureira, cis-dcz@riseup.net
El Machete (Austin, TX) Simón, elpinchesimon@yahoo.com
Estación Libre (Los Angeles, CA) Pablo Gonzales, aztlan71@yahoo.com
Protesta y Apoyo Zapatista (Santa Barbara, CA) Jordan Camp, jcamp@umail.ucsb.edu
Zapatista Solidarity Coalition (Sacramento, CA) zapa@zsc.org
Colectivo Caracolero Chicagotra (Chicago, Il) Dora T. y Kora M., chicagotra@gmail.com
Rebel Imports (Maryland) Kristin Bricker, krisbricker@gmail.com