[van-announce] Women cry out for liberation and urge for international organizing

[Grassroots Women]

 Grassroots Women Press Release:
For immediate release
September 28, 2002



Women cry out for liberation and urge for international organizing



(Vancouver, Canada) – Two female survivors of political persecution and
imprisonment in Central America and a local indigenous youth leader spoke
out passionately about their struggles in the recent "Regional Feature Night
on the Americas," held September 23rd, 2002, at SFU Harbour Centre. This
forum was the first in a series of three feature nights building up to an
international women’s conference in November, focusing on empowering women’s
voices of resistance to imperialism and war.

 Feedback from the over seventy participants was overwhelming. Many
expressed that the event was an eye-opening experience. One audience member
commented," ... your speakers lent a face to the sometimes abstract and
seemingly-theoretical 'anti-globalization' movement." Another participant
reflected, "I realize now how important women's role is in building
international solidarity." The participants also congratulated Grassroots
Women's commitment to marginalized people as an inspiration in an
all-too-commercial world.

 The forum started with Tania Willard, a youth leader from the Secwepemc
Nation and the editor of Redwire Urban Native Youth Media. She shared her
experiences as a participant in the International Indigenous Youth
Conference in the Philippines, as well as the exploitation and oppression of
Secwepemc women. The second speaker was Ericka Zamora, a former political
prisoner and student activist in Mexico. She shared the history of women’s
participation in Mexico for the struggle for national liberation and
emphasized, "Women who were oppressed planted the seeds of consciousness."
She urged women to continue organizing towards liberation.

 Maria Guardado, a long time human rights and social justice activist who
was kidnapped and tortured by death squads in El Salvador, disclosed her
painful personal suffering and asked not for sympathy from the participants,
but for their commitment “ to continue the fight” against torture, poverty
and hunger around the world. She exclaimed, “The root of our problems lies
in the system ofcapitalism. We must continue to organize and educate to live
in peace and social justice.”  The final speaker, Rachel Rosen, called
attention to the importance of reinvigorating the women’s movement against
imperialism and war. Rosen is a member of Grassroots Women, an organization
of marginalized and working class women that is the host of these bi-weekly
"Regional Feature Nights.”

 The second "Regional Feature Night" highlighting Asia will be held on
October 7th; October 21st will focus on the Middle East. Both evenings will
take place at SFU Harbour Centre at 515 West Hastings from 7-9:30pm. They
are being held in preparation for "Towards Our Liberation: An International
Women's Conference Against Imperialist War and Plunder" scheduled for
November 1-4, 2002. Entrance to the "Regional Feature Nights" is by
donation. All proceeds will go directly towards supporting delegates from
Third World countries to attend the conference.

 -30-

 Media contact: Rachel Rosen, 604.215.1905

______________________________________________

"Reclaim the struggle for a renewed
and militant women's movement!"
Grassroots Women
Phone: 604.215.1905
http://grassrootswomen.tripod.com





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