Economic Justice
Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera
Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera (ATCF) organizes quarterly delegations to visit maquiladora workers and communities along the Mexico-U.S. border. The Comité Fronterizo de Obreras (CFO: Border Committee of Women Workers) hosts each group’s visit, enabling U.S. delegates to meet with workers who are defending human rights, justice and dignity in a harsh labor environment.
The quarterly delegations rotate between five border cities: Ciudad Acuña, Piedras Negras, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, and Ciudad Juárez.
2008 Tan Cerca Delegation Schedule:
January 4-6 Piedras Negras
March 14-16 Reynosa
May 23-25 Ciudad Acuna
October 10-12 Nuevo Laredo
Led by CFO organizers, delegates tour maquiladora industrial parks passing numerous export processing plants of well-known U.S.-based multinational companies. They subsequently meet with workers in their homes to learn about working conditions and current labor struggles. CFO organizers describe their organizing strategies, including the use of the Mexican Federal Labor Law. Delegates also visit colonias, or neighborhoods, for informal social gatherings with workers, their families, and friends.
Following the trips, delegates meet to reflect on the implications of what they have learned. Many delegates continue their involvement by sharing their experience with family and friends, organizing forums and study groups, and responding to action alerts and legislative actions. See Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera Brochure (PDF, 536 KB)
Each delegation is limited to about ten participants to allow for an intimate experience. Delegations are usually scheduled for January, March, May and October. Each departs from Austin on a Friday morning and returns on Sunday afternoon. The cost is $200-300 (sliding scale), which includes transportation, meals, and two-nights hotel lodging. Translation is also provided for all activities. Limited financial assistance is available.
Join us for a trip that not only informs, but personally connects you to grassroots leaders in the growing international response to corporate globalization. For further information, contact Austin Tan Cerca at 512-474-2399 or chelarose@grandecom.net
For more on delegations, see:
AFSC-Austin Newsletter: Rain, Mud and People by Tom West
Mexico-U.S. Border Program: Mutual Trust and a Global Strategy: Foundations of Cross-Border Solidarity, by Ricardo Hernandez
Quaker Action: Tan Cerca de la Frontera: Resisting Globalization from the Bottom Up, By Willie Colon Reyes
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