Join CISPES’ 3rd Radical Roots Delegation to El Salvador

Delegation Date: 

July 22, 2018 to August 1, 2018

An opportunity for Central Americans in the diaspora to (re)connect with El Salvador’s culture, revolutionary history and learn directly from social movement leaders about current struggles for social justice in El Salvador! 

Delegation Dates:
Sunday, July 22, 2018 – Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Join CISPES in its 3rd Radical Roots Delegation! Apply Here!

Applications accepted on a rolling basis – apply to day as spots are limited.

These days it seems like there are ample opportunities for Central Americans in the diaspora to travel to their family’s homelands  and (re)connect with their roots.

So why travel to El Salvador with CISPES?

For one: Because we’ve done this before. CISPES has led hundreds of delegations to El Salvador since the early 1980s, at the height of the U.S.-sponsored Civil War and at the birth of the U.S.-El Salvador solidarity movement. And we haven’t stopped accompanying El Salvador’s political and social movement since.

Our first Radical Roots Delegation was held in 2010 during the social movement’s struggle against mining and against the privatization of water, health, and other key public resources. This first delegation was proposed and organized by Salvadoran-identified folks within CISPES who felt in need of a space within the organization to understand their unique experiences in (re)connecting with El Salvador. Watch former delegates talk about their experience in the 2010 Radical Roots Here!

Arising from an extensive and ongoing conversation within CISPES about how to continue to dismantle oppression and racism within our movement, the third Radical Roots delegation will be a space for Central Americans born, raised or living in the diaspora to learn more from  El Salvador’s long-term struggle for social and economic justice, to collectively define what international solidarity means in this era of emboldened right-wing extremism in the region, and explore the many ways WE can support  ongoing struggles in El Salvador, Central America and beyond.

Current political dynamics and struggles in the U.S. and El Salvador call on us to be more vigilant about what is happening politically and to have a clear understanding of how these dynamics impact our communities. These realities call on us to connect meaningfully and intentionally across borders, histories and geographies to create a unified and diverse movement that can challenge racism and xenophobia at home and abroad.

Eight years since the Salvadoran left was elected to the presidency, the struggle for liberation has never been more complicated. Participants will hear from leftist and social movement leaders about the country’s prolonged struggle for social and economic justice and the challenges posed by a regional resurgence of fascist right wing powers emboldened by a new U.S. interventionist agenda.

Delegates will also meet social movement leaders organizing around labor rights, feminist sindicalism, LGBTQ student activism, rights to water, and much more to learn more about these areas of struggle, the achievements they’ve had under the first leftist administrations, and the challenges that remain.

While in El Salvador, delegates will also learn about the country’s rich cultural legacy, revolutionary history and visit sites of cultural significance. Finally, delegates will be able to participate in the annual commemoration of the 1975 student massacre at the University of El Salvador, where the U.S.- supported Salvadoran military brutally killed student leaders protesting human rights abuses carried out by the state.

The Radical Roots delegation will be led and organized by current and former CISPistas who identify as Salvadoran/Central American. In all of this, the objective will be to center the experiences of Central Americans born or living in the diaspora, and to engage delegates in collective discussions regarding the diasporic Central American experience.

Arrival Date: Sunday, July 22, 2018
Departure Date: Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Cost: $900 + Airfare
This will cover all food, housing, transportation, and logistical expenses while in El Salvador.
Airfare to El Salvador generally costs between $400 – $700.

Spanish language skills are not necessary for this delegation.
Must be 18 and older to participate.

For more information about CISPES delegations see this general information page or this frequently asked questions page.

If you would like to join us during the next Radical Roots Delegation please fill out the application form here.

DEADLINE to apply is March 1st, 2018. Delegates who know they will need fundraising support or scholarships should submit their application as soon as possible.

If you have questions please contact Samantha Pineda- samantha@cispes.org