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Mid-Atlantic  Witness for
Peace Mid-Atlantic, a long-standing regional chapter of WFP, strives to
educate and mobilize the Mid-Atlantic grassroots on US policies that thwart justice and peace in Latin
America. The region
includes NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, and DC.
Regional Organizer: Vera Leone --706/405.1273, wfpma@witnessforpeace.org
 2009 Annual Report
2009 was a smash-hit year for movement-building. Check out our manifold accomplishments here.
 Support the Mid-Atlantic Region
With a newly-hired regional organizer and a blossoming agenda of region-wide activism, we are more than ever before coming together as communities in the Mid-Atlantic to stand for peace and justice in the Americas. Please join us! You can click here to support solidarity with Latin America.
 Paola and Ana Maria Educate Thousands
This fall, two community organizers from Oaxaca--Paola and Ana Maria--unearthed migration's roots for a combined audience of 1,525 Mid-Atlantic-dwellers, in addition to thousands of rally-goers and radio listeners. Click here for rousing video footage, photos, and interviews.
 Trade Action Day in DC
To commemorate International Trade Action Day, DC activists threw corn cobs in acts of street theater and formed a trade justice bloc at a major immigrants' rights rally. The rally featured an impassioned speech by our tour speaker Paola, who lambasted NAFTA's role in forcing most of her own family and community to migrate north. Watch her speech here.
 No More Broken Hearts
About 50 large, heart-shaped sculptures popped up around Washington, DC this September with messages about Colombia. The $800,000 public relations stunt aimed to push forward the stalled Colombia free trade agreement. In response, we launched some stunts of our own.
 The U.S. and Cuba: A New Game
We have never been so close to overturning the senseless ban on travel to Cuba in the ban's 50-year history. In preparation for a likely fall vote to end the ban, our friends at Latin America Working Group are launching an unprecedented Cuba advocacy blitz. Read on to join this historical push.
 Pittsburgh: G-20 Vs. People's Voices
As the G-20 prepares to convene in Pittsburgh, partner groups there have been preparing an alternative summit--one that listens to the many voices not represented by the G-20, one that critiques rather than perpetuates the economic model that got us into this financial mess.
 New Videos Dig Deep
In recent months, WFP has rolled out two videos (both free online) that delve into the painful realities left in the wake of two notorious U.S. policies: NAFTA and Colombia fumigations. By offering a 20-minute tangible snapshot of the policies, both Roots of Migration and Shoveling Water are great tools for educating your family/friends/community.
 Defund the Fumigation Failure
US-funded fumigations in Colombia, beyond roundly failing to curtail drug production, have continued to destroy farmers' legit crops and biodiverse forests. This fall we may actually see some movement in Congress toward cutting the disastrous program.
 Coup: US Regresses, Hondurans March
The coup regime in Honduras continues to cling to power, despite massive pro-democracy mobilizations there. Meanwhile, the U.S. response remains sluggish and two-faced. In August President Obama called groups like WFP "hypocritical" for levying such critiques. It's time to set the record straight.
 Guadalajara: Obama Backpedals on Change
On August 9, President Obama went to Guadalajara, Mexico to meet with his Mexican and Canadian counterparts for the fifth North American Leaders Summit. Did he stake out a change-oriented roadmap for immigration, NAFTA, or Mexico's drug war? No, no, and no.
 Victory! TRADE Act launched with over 100 cosponsors
After weeks of concentrated lobbying, in late June we took a big step toward a new, justice-oriented trade model when the TRADE Act was introduced with a goal-topping 106 original cosponsors.
 Faces of Witness: Alejandro Alvarez
Meet Alejandro Alvarez, a Mid-Atlantic WFPer, a student organizer on Latin America issues, a bilingual editor, and an all-around good guy.
 Fall News!
Check out our painstakingly-formatted newsletter highlighting the brimming activist calendar that is this fall.
Travel Delegations
 How Was Your Trip?
American Univ. Returns from Colombia
In January of this year, about 15 American University students took off for Colombia on a WFP delegation, heading to the front lines of the fight over the FTA. Here is one student's account of the trip.
 Bolivia: The End of the Monroe Doctrine
Just after our November '08 delegation to Bolivia, Tom Driver and Anne Barstow submitted this insightful op-ed to the New York Times. Check it out for a succinct synopsis of our trip, followed by some exemplary trip photos.
 Montclair State Does Nica
Montclair State University students reflect on the impact of their delegation to Nicaragua in June.
 Corn for Coca: Colombia Delegation Report
See photos, quotes, and articles from this powerful June 2008 delegation focused on the Colombia free trade agreement.
Mid-Atlantic Region Sponsored Delegations
These upcoming travel delegations are specially sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Region of Witness for Peace. Come meet some really great people from YOUR region of the country.
 State of Crisis: Oaxaca delegation reportback
See photos and articles from this revealing March 2008 delegation focused on the NAFTA-migration link and Oaxaca's 2006 uprising.
Just the Facts
  Mid-Atlantic Events Calendar
Check out our scintillating calendar of upcoming Mid-Atlantic speaker tours, delegations, marches, lobby days, and other events.
 Get Email Alerts for the Mid-Atlantic Region
Sign-up here for email alerts and mail specific to this region.
Take Action
 Trade Actions Near You
Dozens of groups throughout the hemisphere are mobilizing, educating, and acting up this month to call for the replacement of the failed NAFTA model. Find an action near you.
 Get to Know Your Rep
Where does your representative stand on Cuba, trade, Colombia or the SOA? Click for a telling snapshot of your rep’s Latin-America-relevant votes.
 October 12: International Trade Action Day
On October 12--Indigenous Peoples Day--WFP will join social movements across the hemisphere in launching coordinated, eye-catching actions to call for the failed NAFTA model to be replaced with justice-oriented trade. Join us.
 Support Hondurans, Not the Coup!
On June 28 the Honduran military overthrew democratically elected president Manuel Zelaya in a lethal coup d’état. The U.S. has been reluctant to show unequivocal support for the return of Honduras's legitimate leader. Click here to ask your rep to do so by co-sponsoring the Delahunt-McGovern bill condemning the coup and calling for the reinstatement of democracy in Honduras.
 Hundreds Demand a New U.S.-Colombia Policy
On Monday, June 29th, just before President Obama's meeting with Colombian President Uribe, about 200 of us blocked a DC intersection, attracted a horde of media attention, and called for an overhaul of U.S.-Colombia policies.
 Flurry of Action for Colombia's Displaced
Thanks to all of you who made this year's Days of Prayer and Action the overwhelmingly positive initiative that it was. Participation was unprecedented in this swelling call for overhauling US policies towards Colombia. Click here for videos and photos of our demonstrations.
 Lobbying with Dolls in New York
Watch our friends in Movement for Peace in Colombia (NYC) deliver 1000 paper dolls to Rep. Nita Lowey's office to call for a fundamental shift in US policy. Lowey's staff were so moved that they arranged for MPC to have a subsequent in-person meeting with Lowey herself.
 Change Within Reach: 5 Most-Feasible Policy Victories
Thanks to years of organizing, our movement is now within reach of several concrete policy shifts that would constitute major victories. Here are the steps we can take to bring them closer.
 Bird-dog for Democracy!
Ever wish the candidates would take a stand on the issues you care about? Ever wish you could make a greater impact than just casting a vote? Well, you can.
 Seven Steps to Effective Bird-Dogging
Click here for a quick guide to the seven simple steps of effective bird-dogging, including our three questions to ask your candidates on trade. Also, see how our petition to the candidates on trade and immigration can complement your bird-dogging efforts.
 The Mid-Atlantic Big 25
This is your guide to the 25 hottest Mid-Atlantic bird-dogging opportunities of the 2008 elections. We’ve compiled trade-relevant voting records, public statements, and campaign finance sources for candidates running in the region's 25 most strategic congressional districts. Get the inside scoop on your candidates!
News Articles
 Why We Migrate--Ana Maria Speaks
Meet Ana Maria Garcia Arreola, a native of Oaxaca, Mexico. Through her work to defend the rights of Oaxaca's campesinos, indigenous communities, and women, Ana Maria seeks to combat the conditions that force so many fellow Oaxacans to migrate north. Ana Maria is now visiting a dozen NYC-area audiences to unearth the hidden roots of migration. Click here for an event near you.
 Why We Migrate--Paola Speaks
Meet Paola Gutierrez Galindo, a community organizer from Oaxaca, Mexico. Since the passage of NAFTA, Paola has watched person after person, including 90% of her own family, abandon her community to migrate north. Throughout October, Paola will crisscross the Mid-Atlantic on a speaker tour to unearth the hidden roots of migration. Click here for an event near you.
 Why We Migrate: Stories of Mexico's Displaced
Meet Paola Gutierrez Galindo, a community organizer from Oaxaca, Mexico. Since the passage of NAFTA, Paola has watched person after person, including 90% of her own family, abandon her community to migrate north. Throughout October, Paola will crisscross the Mid-Atlantic on a speaker tour to unearth the hidden roots of migration.
 Live from Honduras: A country under siege
Two weeks after the illegal military coup in Honduras, WFP participated in an emergency delegation to expose an alarming wave of human rights violations and show solidarity with Hondurans' struggle for democracy. Click for on-the-ground photos, video, and analysis.
 Summit of the Americas: Policy Change or Photo Op?
As President Obama joined his hemispheric counterparts in the Summit of the Americas recently in Trinidad, regional organizer Ben Beachy also headed to Trinidad to take part in the People's Summit of the Americas. What were the fruits of these dueling summits? Click here for Ben's op-ed, photos, and the People's Summit declaration.
 Retreat: A Big Hit!
In early April nearly 70 mid-Atlantic activists converged on Bear Creek Camp for a roundly successful WFP-MidAtlantic retreat. The record-breaking number of attendees, representing a wide spectrum of ages and backgrounds, gained insight from on-point speakers and collectively planned tangible, forward-thinking actions for changing US policy. Click here for photos and reflections.
 Book Review: How to Rule the World
Barry Stoner reviews Mark Engler's compelling new book: "the clearest and most interesting analysis of the present economic order I have seen." The author is Mark Engler--journalist, analyst, and featured speaker at our April '09 retreat.
 Supporting WFP Through Your Church Missions Program
Long-time WFP-MidAtlantic member Robin Hoy explains an easy way for faith communities to support Witness for Peace's important work.
 Freddy on Free Trade: Video, Interviews, and Photos
Freddy Caicedo, a human rights defender from Colombia, crisscrossed the Mid-Atlantic during our successful Fall '08 speaker tour. Freddy compellingly conveyed to 1165 people in 38 audiences the inflammatory impact that the proposed Colombia free trade agreement would have on his war-torn country. Click the link to watch Freddy's presentation, hear radio interviews, and more.
Publications
 Interview: Change Colombia Can Believe In
Carlos Quiroz interviews our organizer Ben Beachy across from the White House during the April 20 Rally for Colombia's Displaced. Get the 10-minute synopsis of what we're calling on Obama to change in US policy towards Colombia.
 Merida Initiative 101
Watch our organizer Ben Beachy break down the Merida Initiative in the context of Mexico's escalating violence. The speech was part of an Anti-Militarization Teach-In in February, organized by the Latin America Solidarity Coalition and the North American Congress on Latin America.
 Spring '09 News!
Check out our hot-off-the-presses newsletter: Change Within Reach, The End of the Monroe Doctrine, How to Rule the World, and more.
  Freddy on Free Trade: An Interview with Our Speaker
Get an insider's insight on the FTA! Just before embarking on our October tour, Freddy Caicedo, Colombian human rights defender, took time to respond to several questions about the still-looming Colombia Free Trade Agreement.
 Free Trade Hits the Big Screen: Battle in Seattle
Check out our review of "Battle in Seattle," a big-screen flick that whirls through five intense days of the 1999 World Trade Organization protests in Seattle.
  Book Review: Empire's Workshop
Get the scoop on Greg Gandin's new book--"Empire's Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of the New Imperialism." Gandin outlines how the US's hegemonic history in U.S. prepped the superpower for its current endeavors in the Middle East. Barry Stoner, Steering Committee member, offers his informed take.
 Faith in Action: Main Line Unitarian Church
The Latin America Task Force of Philly’s Main Line Unitarian Church has long been a WFP supporter. Here the coordinators explain one way that the group fulfills its faith through meaningful action.
 Reflection on WFP's 25th Anniversary Celebration in D.C.
2008 marked WFP's 25th anniversary. To commemorate, activists from across the Mid-Atlantic descended on DC for a conference in June. Serafina Youngdahl Lombardi, Steering Committee member, reflects on why she went and what she took away.
 Solidarity Turns 25! (And other Mid-Atlantic News)
Check out our Spring 2008 newsletter, commemorating WFP's 25th anniversary. Articles include: "Why Eat a Grasshopper," "Rallying the Region: Two Epic Tours," "Migration: Exposing the Roots," "Faces of Witness," "Colombia: Days of Prayer and Action," and "Building Bridges of Hope: From the Mid-Atlantic to Jalapa and Back Again."
 Video: The Oaxaca Crisis and the Roots of Migration
Watch Miguel Vasquez, a dynamic educator from Oaxaca, Mexico, spell out the roots of escalating immigration and crisis in his home state. The presentation is one of 63 that Miguel delivered on our historically successful Fall 2007 speaker tour.
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