Grassroots International

“If you ask an agribusiness person what land is, it’s a space for production. If you ask a family farmer, it’s home. It's where life happens.” Our Brazil delegation ended with a bang, with three deeply impactful days with another of our amazing Brazilian partners, MCP (Movimento Camponês Popular, Popular Peasant Movement). From within the belly of the beast of Brazil’s agricultural and mining industrial complex, the family farmers of MCP are saving and reproducing creole (peasant) seeds, creating agroecological corridors, standing up to extractive megaprojects, and advocating for the rights of peasants to grow safe and healthy food to feed the population. Our final day was particularly moving as we heard directly from communities resisting the devastating impacts of mining projects, who are seeking international solidarity to amplify their struggles. Stay tuned for more to come and learn more about the MCP here: https://lnkd.in/esbju5HF

This week we met up with many of our movement partners in Brazil — including Levante Popular da Juventude (Popular Youth Uprising, LPJ). These dynamic youth organizers had a lot to say about their work, so we're just going to let them speak for themselves: "Neoliberal ideology individualizes a lot. It’s hard to convince the youth to organize collectively. We see our task today as building popular strength so we can not only defend democracy but dispute the agenda at the national level and raise the demands of youth... We have been moving forward building bonds of solidarity with both national and international allies, including Grassroots International, to whom we are grateful for helping us to strengthen." It was so great to meet with this dynamic youth movement!

Land that sustains livelihoods, livelihoods that sustain land... no to agribusiness land grabs! In the eyes of Brazilian and foreign agribusiness elite, Brazil's highly diverse and extremely vulnerable Cerrado savannah is of little value in its natural state, making it a prime zone for land grabbing for industrial monocrop production. But members of the Landless Workers Movement (MST)'s Pequeno William settlement in the Federal District have a different take: "If you look at the Cerrado as a source of income, you can see money everywhere without needing to cut it down." Through agroecology, they are bringing Cerrado land once devastated by industrial agriculture back to life. This includes preserving and propagating native trees and plants adapted to the Cerrado's dry climate and acidic soils and restoring damaged soil through nutrient- dense ground cover. As they recover the land and its biodiversity, they are recovering ancestral knowledge on uses of native vegetation, from food to medicine to liquor to natural dyes and perfumes. And they are exploring ways to make Cerrado-based products accessible to consumers as a form of sustainable livelihood generation. "We need to generate income through using and preserving at the same time. Our efforts are to keep the Cerrado standing." Follow along this week for more from our Brazil delegation!

Food sovereignty and popular agrarian reform are rooted in community and land! The 8 de Mar?o encampment and Pequeno William settlement of the Landless Workers Movement (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra, MST) graciously hosted Grassroots International donors and supporters and taught us more about their work. For decades, the MST has organized hundreds of thousands of members to move people from landless and impoverished conditions to homes, communal farming, and dignity. We are honored to have accompanied them as partners for over 25 years — supporting their human rights defense, agroecology trainings, and other efforts. Stay tuned for another report from our Brazil solidarity delegation!

We're off to Brazil! This week, Grassroots International donors and supporters are learning firsthand from our movement partners. We're excited for the journey ahead and stories we'll share. Over the weekend, we visited the Florestan Fernandes National School of the Landless Workers Movement (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra, MST). The school serves to train organizers across Brazil (and the world!) in movement building, food sovereignty, and more. As was emphasized to us, popular education and political formation work bring popular agrarian reform closer to reality. Like many institutions in the MST, the school is run collectively, with everyone pitching in. Our group was no exception, joining in on kitchen duty. Thank you to the MST for hosting us! Follow along this week for more photos and reflections from Brazil! And learn more about the MST's work: https://lnkd.in/eMJnVTBc

?? Have you checked out this insightful article on queer ecological frameworks and their impact on environmental justice in Appalachia published by The Nonprofit Quarterly? Zane McNeill explores how queer ecologies challenge the harmful “against nature” narratives that have long marginalized LGBTQIA+ communities. By reimagining natural spaces as sites of resistance, queer activists in Appalachia are addressing both environmental degradation and social inequality. In a region often exploited for its resources and culturally marginalized, a queer ecological approach provides a powerful tool for liberation. This article delves into how grassroots movements are building inclusive, sustainable futures, intertwining the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights with environmental advocacy. Read the full article to discover how Appalachia's unique challenges and vibrant communities are paving the way for a more equitable and ecologically sound future. ???? https://lnkd.in/eZvcqJBJ #PrideMonth #EnvironmentalJustice #QueerEcology #LGBTQIA #Appalachia #Sustainability

As our Solidarity Program Director Jovanna Garcia Soto makes clear, the small contributions we make today build towards global efforts for LGBTQIA+ liberation. In December 2023, Grassroots International staff attended the 8th International Conference of La Via Campesina in Bogotá, Colombia. There, our partner, the global peasant movement, held the first International Meeting of [Gender and Sexual] Diversities — building off work we have accompanied in various Via Campesina member organizations. Let's continue celebrating Pride Month and building off this historic moment. LGBTQIA+ liberation and the struggles for food sovereignty and popular agrarian reform go hand in hand. Read more about our reflections from the 8th International Conference: https://lnkd.in/e7XHArVt

In honor of Pride Month, we're spotlighting KOURAJ, a beacon of hope for LGBTQIA+ individuals in Haiti. Amidst the ongoing crisis, KOURAJ stands firm in its commitment to fight for the rights of queer Haitians. While ongoing colonialism and inequality fuel civil unrest and violence, LGBTQIA+ people face heightened persecution and discrimination. Discriminatory laws and social stigma continue to oppress LGBTQIA+ Haitians, denying them access to basic rights and resources. But at KOURAJ, they're reclaiming their narrative and reshaping societal perceptions. Through advocacy, health services, and community mobilization, they're building a more inclusive and accepting Haiti for all. Their vision is clear: a liberated Haiti where LGBTQIA+ individuals can live authentically and thrive. With compassionate mental health care, human rights training, and access to medical support, they're creating space for their community to heal, grow, and lead the charge for change. Learn more about them: https://lnkd.in/eex-dMDn

Grassroots International stands in solidarity with our partners in Guatemala during these trying times. We are deeply saddened by the recent attacks on human rights defenders, including the assassination of José Alberto Domingo Montejo, the wounding and subsequent death of Marcelo Yaxón Pablo and the severe wounding of Gustavo Yaxón from the Comité de Unidad Campesina/Peasant Unity Committee (CUC). As tensions rise between Guatemala’s right-wing factions and grassroots movements, we join the global call for justice and an immediate halt to the forced displacements of Indigenous communities. We mourn the loss and pledge our continued support for the struggle for human rights and democracy in Guatemala. Read about it here:?https://lnkd.in/eZkA2644?