Ninth Annual Jolie Rickman Spanish for Activists Camp

Every year, CUSLAR and the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES) collaborate to host the Jolie Rickman Spanish for Activists Camp (S4A). S4A serves as a platform for socio-political education, leadership formation, and networking for activists throughout the Northeast. At the core of S4A are Spanish language classes, led by professional instructors and native speakers, and workshops on pertinent political, social, and economic issues in Latin America. However, when class is out, Spanish for Activists is also a weekend full of music, dance, delicious vegetarian cuisine, and camping.


Stay tuned for more information regarding Spanish for Activists Camp 2010! The camp will be held at the Foundation of Light in Ithaca in July. If you are interested in becoming involved with the event planning and preparation, please contact us at cuslarspanishcamp2010@gmail.com


If you want to register for the camp...


1. Click here to download and fill out our registration form!

2. Submit the form either electronically or by mail.

3. Mail in your deposit or click the button below to use paypal as your payment method. The cost is $120-$200 for three days, sliding scale. It includes: indoor sleeping space/camping, meals, language classes, workshops and entertainment. The cost is $80-$120, without language classes.Please submit a $50 deposit, full payment is due ASAP, or at the latest, upon arrival.




CUSLAR and CISPES look forward to your attendance!



The Final Spanish for Activists Schedule!


Workshops to include:
Farmworker Issues- A workshop facilitated by Mary Jo Dudley, Director of the Cornell Farmworker Program

Defense from Exploitative Resource Extraction- A panel discussion focusing on mining issues in El Salvador presented by several Shaleshock members and other organizers who will bring the issues home by discussing natural gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale, including Maria Oldiges, CUSLAR Board Member and Claire Stoscheck, CUSLAR Coordinator. David Castillo will also be speaking in this panel and will have just returned from the Radical Roots Delegation in El Salvador.

Report Back from the SOA Encuentro- Colleen Kattau will share her experiences participating in the SOA Encuentro held in Venezuela in June. This South-North SOA Watch Encuentro will connect activists from both sides of the Rio Grande to find ways to work together to close the SOA, while opening new doors of relating to one another with dignity. Mara Bard, another member of the SOA Watch, will also be speaking.

Venezuela: Political and Economic Realities- A panel discussion including the Consulate General of Venezuela Carol Delgado, her spouse Greg Wilpert, (writer for the blog http://venezuelanalysis.com/), and Howard Botwinick, Professor of Economics at SUNY Cortland.

Crisis in Arizona and Immigration Reform- A discussion facilitated by organizers for the Tompkins County Immigration Rights Coalition and the Syracuse Peace Council.

Solidarity with Haiti- A panel discussion with Roger Benham, Todd Saddler and Laurie Konwinski. Roger is a member of Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, a grassroots organizination that did relief work in Haiti after the earthquake. Todd Saddler was a co-director of Beyond Borders and lived in Haiti for seven years. He currently serves as president of the board of directors of Beyond Borders and has visited twice since the January earthquake. Laurie Konwinski was also a co-director of Beyond Borders, and lived in Haiti for 5 years. She also worked from the U.S. for the Lambi Fund of Haiti for 3 years and served as an interpreter for Haitian farmworkers for 10 summers.

Grassroots Activism in Colombia- Central NY-Cajibio Colombia Sister Community: A workshop that explores the sister community between Central New York and the Small Farmers Movement of Cajibio or Movimiento Campesino de Cajibío ( MCC). The MCC is one of many groups struggling for peace and justice in Colombia. Made up of campesinos, other local community members, indigenous people, and Afro-Colombians, Cajibio is a small municipality located in the violence-torn southwestern department of Cauca, Colombia. http://www.peacecouncil.net/clac/cajibio.htm

Screening of the film "Quién Dijo Miedo" a documentary film about the Honduran coup. It chronicles the nonviolent struggle of the Honduran people to resist a dictatorship.

In addition, there will be Salsa Dancing Classes taught by P'lante, music by Colleen Kattau (Progressive folk rock colored w/ south of the border beats and socio-enviro-fem conscious compositions), bonfires, hiking, swimming and much more!

The UP-DATED schedule is as follows:
Friday, July 16, 2010
4:00-6:00 Registration, Camp Setup
Introduction 6:30- 7:00
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Workshop I (2 sections) Workshops 1.Farmworkers in NY State 2.Report-back from the SOA Encuentro in Venezuela
9-10 Salsa Workshop taught by Michael Luis Ristorucci of P'lante
10-Midnight Dance party!

Saturday, July 17, 2010
8:00-9:00 Breakfast: Introductions
9:00-10:30 Language Class I
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-Noon Workshop II (2 sections)1. Crisis in Arizona and Immigration Reform Panel Discussion 2.Grassroots Activism in Colombia: Central NY-Cajibio Colombia Sister Community
Noon-1:00 Lunch
1:00-2:30 Language Class II
2:30-2:45 Coffee Break
2:45-4:00 Workshop III(2 sections) 1. Defense from Exploitative Resource Extraction Panel Discussion 2.Solidarity with Haiti Panel Discussion
4:00-6:00 Swimming/hiking OR "Quien Dijo Miedo" a documentary film about the Honduran coup.
6:00-7:30 Dinner
7:30-9:00 Workshop IV 1. Venezuela: Political and Economic Realities
9:00-Midnight Campfire, Music by Colleen Kattau

Sunday, July 18, 2010
8:00-9:00 Breakfast
9:00-10:30 Language Class III
10:45- 11:45 Networking and Discussion Groups
Noon-1:00 Lunch
1-1:15 Theater performance by Teatro Taller! A 10 minute teaser scene from the play "El despojamiento" by Griselda Gambaro.
1:15-2:15 Language Class IV
2:15-3:45 Wrap Up, Final Thoughts: Final language class theater presentations! Evaluations