STITCH Language School Delegation

Resisting the Politics of Free Trade: Women Organizing for Labor Justice

STITCH Women's Language School Delegation

May 28 - June 4, 2005, Guatemala 

What are the true costs of free trade?

As our Representatives debate the Central American Free Trade Act (CAFTA), working conditions deteriorate for women workers in Central America and at home. How can we take action to ensure OUR voices are part of this debate? Join STITCH in Central America to learn how we can unite with our sisters in Central America to challenge unfair trade policies!

The STITCH women's delegation combines excellent Spanish instruction with an in-depth look at the effects of free trade on women workers and unionists. This exciting delegation will give you the opportunity to:

• Connect with US and Guatemalan women activists.
• Study Spanish and learn more about Central America.
• Understand what free trade agreements really mean for Latin American workers.
• Meet pioneering organizers and take part in the struggle for global economic justice.

You will spend five mornings learning Spanish with one-on-one instruction at a well-respected school in the colonial town of Antigua, Guatemala. In the afternoons, you will meet with women fighting for better conditions in the booming textile industry, globalization activists, and local union leaders. In the final days of the delegation, we will travel to the banana plantations in Eastern Guatemala to hear from workers affected by free trade policies and explore our own roles as consumers and activists. The delegation will broaden your understanding of globalization; give you new insights from activists in Central America; and strengthen your ability to connect worker struggles at home and abroad.

To request more info rmation or an application, please contact:

STITCH
1525 Newton St, NW , Washington , DC 20010
(202) 265-3790 
stitch@stitchonline.org

This delegation is open to women only. The cost of the delegation is $800 and includes housing, all meals, language instruction, and travel inside Guatemala. Participants must pay their own way to Guatemala City and cover incidental costs such as snacks and tips. Limited scholarships are available.
Applications are due by April 11, 2005.