SWU considers building links between organizations as critical to increase the power of social justice movements, share strategies to improve effectiveness and uplift a collective struggle. Anchored in local struggles, SWU recognized the strategic importance of connecting to the global movement. SWU actively participates in several regional, national and international networks to advance and integrate our local work to a larger scale.
South by Southwest
There is a need to build cross-cultural bridges to counter attempts to pit low-income workers against immigrant workers in competition for jobs and overcome barriers that have prevented African American and Latino communities from working successfully in solidarity. The South by Southwest Continuum Educational Program launched in partnership with the SouthWest Organizing Project and Southern Echo brings together African American and Latino communities from three states - New Mexico, Texas, and Mississippi - to share histories and current realities in each state from the perspective of grassroots struggles, and at the same time develop trust between all of the participants.
Social Forums: Another World is Possible
The social forum process is an opportunity to change the face of the social movement by creating a point and space for ‘intersectionality’ of the issues and sectors of society. It is an expression of the people’s movement from around the world. It is a space for local movements to join into the international social movements and to land those international struggles in the local struggles. Since 2003, SWU has attended World Social Forum and the Social Forum of the Americas. We were active organizers of the Border Social Forum (2006) and the U.S. Social Forum.
The Social Forums in the US have already brought hundreds and hundreds of organizations, primarily grassroots, people of color, women, youth, and working class people, together.
People’s Freedom Caravan (PFC)
The PFC is a social forum on wheels building a movement from the ground up, by sharing stories, cultures, histories and realities of struggle in the south and southwest. The caravan created unity across racial, cultural, language and geographical barriers that tend to divide our communities. The caravan traveled across 6 states in the southern half of the US, stopping in 12 cities, mobilized over 500 people to the USSF and impacted thousands of people.
Global Connections
SWU allies with our counterpart organizations in the global south to strengthen global understanding and solidarity. SWU has hemispheric linkages around militarism, free trade agreements and global worker solidarity. Activities have included organizing an Andean Reality Tour, supporting the NO US Bases Network, arranging popular education exchanges and linking to organizations facing natural resource exploitation.
Partnership & Alliances
SWU actively participates in several regional, national and international networks to advance the local struggles and integrate local work on a larger scale.
|
