Week 8: Students Learning about Globalization

Sarah Leach
Saint Louis University

October has brought us students back to Cuernavaca, back to speakers, back to Spanish Classes. On returning to Mexico the Crossing Borders students have been investing a lot of time into learning about Globalization and Neoliberal economic thought. This week in our Political Science class many of us are learning new concepts involving the idea of Globalization and feminist thought.

To start classes out and to be prepared for many of our speakers it was obvious that we needed a definition of the G-word. GLOBALIZATION.

A paper and a test later we learned that globalization was, as Anthony Giddens wrote in Global Capitalism, “The intensification of world-wide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice-versa.”[1] Or a much simpler way of thinking is the USA sneezes and Mexico catches pneumonia as Fred Rosen[2] stated in his talk on Neolibral thought and economic Globalization.

Globalization in Mexico

I think that one of the more exciting talks was with Irene Ortiz[3], who gave a Mexican woman’s feminist viewpoint on globalization, and it’s effects here in Mexico as well as the US. One of her main points was drawing from a book we had been reading called Liberating Economics[4], which contained a diagram of economics based on gender views and societal views. Contrasting Gender as natural with gender as socially constructed, intersected by society as independent and collective. The best place for feminist economics is where gender as socially constructed meets a collective society.

I thought that the talk on society as a whole lead to some good questions. I think that as US citizens, with in the US culture it is easy to forget just how independent we are. Children are encouraged to leave go their own at about 18. Part of our independent culture encourages us to do well on our own and then we can make up the whole of society. But do we really benefit all of society when we do this, or just ourselves? Where as here in Mexico and else where cultures are more collective, meaning that society is a whole and cannot be reduced to parts. Everyone is responsible for everyone.

Studendts Learning and Discussing Globalization

These societal viewpoints are important. But the heavy influence and struggle for individual has lead to the hurt of many. Because there is no struggle for the collective, it is hard for unions to form. People, mainly women, are afraid to unionize because it may result in the lowering of their wages. They want what is best for the individual, the highest price, even in the event that is requires more work than is necessary.

The question then becomes, how does a collective society come into being? And will the individual be lost within the collective? Or will the lives of many be better due to sacrifices of a few?


[1] Anthony Giddens, notes from POL 359 class, 14th October, 2009.
[2] Fred Rosen, economist and journalist, talk on Neolibralism and Globalization 9th October, 2009
[3] Irene Ortiz, Feminist and Organizer of Domestic Workers, talk 13th October, 2009
[4] Barker, Drucilla K and Susan Feiner. Liberating Economics: Feminist perspectives on families, work, and globalization. University of Michigan Press, 2004.

Week 7: Education. Seeing the Impact in Mexico.

By Jane Stitt

Carleton College

Last week, our Liberation Theology class did two main activities. First, we painted murals, wrote articles, and gave presentations to the class about our experiences in El Salvador this September. Second, we met a panel of Mexican women who shared stories with us about their experiences of physical abuse and poverty here in Mexico.

I found both of these activities very moving, but at first I wondered how my two experiences--as a student and a sympathetic fellow human--connected with each other. How could I stand to watch these women weeping and hear their stories of poverty, and then spend my time showing off my knowledge about El Salvador to my class, or reading and writing? How could I hear these women's heartbreaking experiences and then go back to my books, selfishly educating myself instead of bursting out onto the streets to protest the social injustices that have made these women suffer so much?

I have been struggling with these kinds of questions throughout my life as a student.

Me, presenting my paper and power point about Liberation Theology in El Salvador to our class (10/5/09).

For a long time, I felt that people should study only in order to get a basic grasp on what problems exist in the world. Once they understand some of these problems, I thought, people should stop studying and take action. Any education beyond that seemed based on selfish motivations: to feel clever or to win approval from society through good grades, a fancy degree, and a well-paying job. I felt that with all of the injustices occurring in the world, humans should abandon their selfish studies--those attempts to surpass their fellow humans in knowledge and prestige--and devote their energy to fighting for justice in the world.

But through encounters such as our talk with the Mexican women this week, CGE is powerfully expanding my ideas about education. Education, I am realizing, can be a transformative force in people's lives that goes far beyond any self-serving attempt to get ahead. Instead, education can change humans' whole view of the world and their place in it, and thus change their entire lives.

Panel of Mexican women discussing Christian Base Communities and women's self-esteem workshops. From left to right: speaker Felisa Cruz Garcia, speaker Dolores Diaz, speaker Teresa Velazquez, intern Christina Olson, student Jane Stitt.

The women in the panel this week are involved in many grassroots educational projects, particularly "Base Christian Communities" and women's self-esteem workshops. These groups have dramatically impacted the women. For example, Felisa Cruz Garcia[1] said that until she joined a women's self-esteem workshop she had never even heard of the phrase "self-esteem." Learning this term--and working to improve her own self-esteem along with the other women in the group--was a life-changing experience for her.

This group "has really helped me to love myself and value myself and pursue what I want," Felisa said; and because of her new value of herself and her life, she has realized her dreams of opening a natural health clinic, where she will offer low-cost medical help to her community.

CGE is helping me understand that education can be a very important, transformative experience. Through sharing our ideas with one another in essays, panels, class discussions--and women's self-esteem groups--we can develop powerful new ideas about how to live.

[1] Felisa Cruz Garcia, member of Catholics for the Right to Decide, participant in women's self-esteem workshop, and head of a natural healing clinic; panel presentation on October 7, 2009 in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.

Week 6: Students Visit Base Ecclesial Community

By Ashlee Woods

Emory University

Seeing community action in action

In conjunction with learning about liberation theology in Latin America, the Crossing Borders students got to see firsthand this week the execution of efforts started as a result of the transformation of theological ideals.

The group met with representatives from Luz y Libertad, a base ecclesial community, in order to learn and get to know more about their actions and efforts in their surrounding area. Base ecclesial communities are small community groups that focus on reading and interpreting the word of God as it relates to everyday people, particularly those who are oppressed.

Representatives of Luz y Libertad giving a presentation of their community efforts to the Crossing Borders students (Alma Chaires and Eustorgia Estrada Saldaña)

Luz y Libertad is located in the industrial zone of Cuernavaca, and has been established for almost 20 years. Starting off as just a CEB (the Spanish acronym for base ecclesial communities), the methodology of base ecclesial communities which employs the see, think, act method led the women involved to believe that the work they were doing was incomplete. As a result the see, think, act method was thoroughly employed; not only did the women read (see) and analyze (think) the teachings of the Bible, they also decided to act and provide different ways in which the word could be personally manifested.

Representatives of Luz y Libertad (Alma Chaires, Victoria Maria de Leon Alvarado, Eustorgia Estrada Saldaña)

Luz y Libertad today holds different workshops in a number of different areas in order to reach out to women in the community.

Visiting Luz y Libertad was a fulfilling experience for me, after learning so much about CEBs and how they began and served as crucial outlets for peasant communities during the 80s and 90s, it was very good to see present day efforts still working along the same lines. The situation of women in Mexico is still one that suffers many challenges, and organizations like Luz y Libertad are working hard to address some of the issues faced by many women.

The nutrition workshop offered by them teaches women how to get nutrition in an economical fashion, as many Mexican families live on limited budgets and buying meat to feed an average family is sometimes more than one can afford. The Crossing Borders students got a chance to have lunch at Luz y Libertad and taste some of their vegetarian food that they teach women to make. It was very clear that the general consensus was that the food was AMAZING! Who knew vegetarians could eat so well??

Some CB students enjoying vegetarian food at Luz y Libertad

A number of social issues are also addressed by the workshops given by Luz y Libertad. As in many countries around the world, the concept of machismo (sexism) is prevalent in the Mexican social community, and has a direct affect on the living situations of many women. Luz y Libertad offers self-esteem workshops in order to help women see and change the situations they are living in as well as a manualidades, or handicrafts workshop that teaches women how to make crafts that they can later sell in order to become more self-sufficient.

The concept of machismo and the self-sufficiency of the women of Luz y Libertad have been causes of resistance toward the organization, but have not in the least bit stopped these strong women from fulfilling their duties to the teachings of their religion and the needs of their community.

Week 5: Students, El Salvador and a Community Coop

By Chelsie Duckworth

Augsburg College

In our final days in El Salvador we met with the community cooperative of Nueva Esperanza. Nueva Esperanza was created by a group of refugees that fled to Nicaragua during the civil war. There they learned trades and the skills necessary to return and form their own businesses and be self-sustaining.

In our visit we saw the various organizations that work together in the town to create educational and vocational programs for youth and women. There are organized sports and agricultural learning programs, opportunities for scholarships to the universities, sexual health support, and counseling provided in the community. The community grows the food and makes the products based on what is in the highest demand. They share with three other nearby communities.

There were rows and rows of hundreds of coconuts that had to be guarded and picked each day

Their main crops and exports to nearby cooperatives are coconuts, sugar cane, dairy products, and cashew products. We toured the fields and got to taste some of the fresh picked coconut meat. The farmers have had problems with people stealing the crops at times, but their main issue is finding funding and trying to create more sustainable storage and work zones (such as building barns and silos).

They cut the coconut right off the tree and let us taste the meat and water as they talked about trying to raise the prices of them and how people try to steal from their fields.

Their health center was very impressive. They send some students each year to medical school and although the doctors there make less money than those in the city, they have instituted very beneficial programs and are passionate about the community they live in. They have made great efforts to encourage health exams in both men and women as well as providing mental/emotional counseling and workshops to eliminate sexism and increase self-esteem. They use a mix of natural medicines made in the town and imported medications from the cities, providing free treatment and diagnosis for serious illnesses such as HIV/AIDS.

The men were working all through the morning and again in the evening to get as much done in as little heat as possible

Seeing this amazing little community that was so full of hope and plans for the future was a nice way to end our trip through El Salvador. We had learned about life of people during the war and all of the hardships so Nueva Esperanza really gave a good insight into the lives and progress made by the people who fled the country and came back to rebuild their lives in El Salvador. Our studies on the rights of women fit in perfectly with all of the programs against domestic violence, education for young women, and their needed participation in this community.

We hope that people can learn from their example of working together and working for equality and the health of their community and implement some of these elements near our own homes.

Week 5: Students in El Salvador Visit Feminist Organization

By Cecilia Márquez
Swarthmore College

While in El Salvador we had the amazing opportunity to meet with Las Dignas (A Women´s Association for Dignity and Life), a feminist organization in San Salvador. This is an organization that began in the 1990’s and works to make gender discrimination visible and to transform gender relations in society. They also work against domestic violence, and teach women that they can make choices about their own bodies.

Asociación de Mujeres por la Dignidad y la Vida; Women´s Association for Dignity and Life

It was a really powerful experience to place together what we were learning in class and what people were actually doing. In class we have learned a lot about the origins of the feminist movement in El Salvador. Specifically we drew connections between women organizing in FMLN guerilla camps and then after the war utilizing those same networks and connections to create feminist organizations. While we were at Las Dignas they shared that their formation came from a similar circumstance.

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The woman symbol; the emblem used by Las Dignas.

They also talked to us about issues they experienced with funding. In class we talked a lot about how funding from organizations in the U.S. and Europe can cause organizations to change their mission or work for something they don’t support. Las Dignas has worked very hard to stay true to their mission but because of funding have sometimes had to alter goals. It’s hard because funding is important to allow an organization to run effectively, but at what cost?

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Chelsie, A Crossing Borders Student, Speaking with one of the members of Las Dignas.

Our time at Las Dignas gave me a lot of insight about the differences between organizing around issues of feminism in El Salvador compared to the U.S. While some of the issues may overlap, like issues of domestic violence and a woman’s right to choose, women in El Salvador face greater stigmatization of the word “feminism” and other barriers that women in the U.S. simply don’t have. Our trip to Las Dignas allowed me to broaden my view of feminism and what feminism means in a more global context.

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LAS DIGNAS♀--the Office in San Salvador

Week 4, Part 2: Students in El Salvador Visiting Political Parties

By Ashlee Woods
Emory University

Greetings from El Salvador!!

This week saw the Crossing Borders students traveling and gaining new experiences in the beautiful country of El Salvador. From learning about the history of the country and the struggles

FMLN party symbol in the party meeting room at the Salvadoran congress
of the people during civil war to the signing of the peace accords, we have stayed busy listening to a lot of wonderful speakers and seeing a lot of amazing things in different parts of the country. We have heard personal experiences from many Salvadorans about the war and its affects and visited a lot of sites that have great significance in the history of El Salvador.

When I think back on the experiences of this week, my mind keeps going back to the political situation of the country and how all that we have learned compares and especially contrasts to what we, from the U.S., are familiar with. If I could think of one word to describe politics in El Salvador; I would most definitely use the term TENSE. Like the United States, the country has two main political parties, but due to the history and past relations between the parties, it has been difficult for the two sides to reconcile past differences.

ARENA, the conservative political party just lost the March 2009 elections for the first time in 20 years to the FMLN, the left wing party born out of a former revolutionary guerilla movement. While this has sparked hope in many Salvadorans who have not been assisted by the previous conservative government that catered to the small percentage of the wealthy class, it has also shed light on just how tricky the relationship between the two parties really is. Crossing Borders 09 students preparing for a talk with ARENA representatives

As a group the Crossing Borders students had the opportunity to visit and meet with representatives from both the ARENA and FMLN parties, hear presentations and ask questions about the current political situation in the country. The ARENA deputy, Miguel Elias Ahuescarasa did not have the most encouraging things to say about the FMLN, including the statement that his political counterparts “have not renounced communism” and “do not believe in God”[1]. When thinking about the United States and the Democratic and Republican parties in contrast to those that we met with El Salvador, I feel that in some instances the two sides can work together on certain issues for the greater good of the country or at the least remain cordial enough to come to a mutual conclusion.


CGE Mexico director Ann Lutterman-Aguilar with ARENA deputy Miguel Elias Ahuescarasa, and Miguel´s secretary.

Karina Soza, the FMLN deputy that we spoke to was not optimistic when speaking about relations between the two major parties. She commented that the March election for president was a “dirty election”[2] and laid out some of the reasons why the FMLN has come into power somewhat crippled due to last minute destructive decisions by the former government.


Crossing Borders students with Karina Soza, a deputy of the FMLN political party

The visits with both Salvadoran parties were extremely enlightening and gave me a lot to think about in terms of politics abroad and the basic democratic rights that we as United States citizens can sometimes overlook…

[1] Miguel Elias, deputy of the ARENA political party in El Salvador; conversation on September 16, 2009 in San Salvador, El Salvador.
[2] Karina Soza, deputy of the FMLN political party in El Salvador; conversation on September 16, 2009 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Students Visit LGBTQ Activist Organization in El Salvador

By Alendi Vidal
Gettysburg College

We have arrived to El Salvador!!! We have been here for four days and it has been the most wonderful experience. Coming to El Salvador did not seem real to me at all until today. In preparing for El Salvador not only did we learn what to pack, how to be safe but also about the history.

El Salvador was colonized by the Spaniards and after a long struggle they gained independence on September 15, 1821. After the independence, only fourteen families held the power all through El Salvador creating an oligarchy. This created a great division between the wealthy and poor. It lead to a controlling government and an uprise of the campesinos (farmers). For twelve years a civil war raged in El Salvador. The military/government/national guards killed many innocent people who were believed to be “terrorists”. These innocent people just wanted a better country and equality for all. Among these people there were nuns, priests, common people, teachers, students and many more.

This is all I knew about El Salvador, the inequality (which still remains) and the violence. I could not escape the mentality that all there was to El Salvador was the Civil War. That changed on the first day when we meet with different organizations. We´ve met with several people and they’ve told us many stories about the history and politics of the past and modern El Salvador.

But ….. One especially caught my attention: Entre Amigos.

Salvadoran Association of Human Rights: entreamigos (between friends)

We met with a great man, William Hernandez [1]. William is the director of Entre Amigos, an organization that helps with many LGTBQ issues like identity, sexuality/gender, and educating about HIV/AIDS. In my mind El Salvador still maintained that civil war past and nothing had changed. Talking to William made me see El Salvador with a whole different perspective. We discussed many issues that surrounded the LGTBQ community.

-----William Hernández – Director of Entre Amigos-----

The most interesting was about sex education within the school and the community.

William told us about how Entre Amigos worked with a group of students in developing a booklet about sex education. This was distributed among several schools which took two months. Because it included a section about masturbation it was removed from the schools. This took only eight days.

Entre Amigos is a great organization. Even after the long history with violence it´s trying to build a new idea. The organization allows others to recognize that there is more than just the civil war; there are new developing issues that everyone should be aware of.

Door Sign at the entrance of Entre Amigos. “Here Sex Workers Are Respected”

William also informed us about the current situation involving LGTBQ issues and marriage. The new archbishop is very conservative and condemns same-sex marriage. William explained to us that they are not seeking marriage through the church at all. They just want their same-sex rights recognized which includes same-sex civil unions.

William gave us a lot of information and it opened our eyes to a new social issue in El Salvador. Entre Amigos opened its door to us and allowed us to learn about the organization. This is just one of the several organizations we will attend while our stay in El Salvador.

There are many new things to learn, experience and see.

[1] Hernandez, William. Director of Entre Amigos. Informative meeting about Entre Amigos. September 14, 2009. At Entre Amigos, San Salvador, El Salvador.