March and Demonstration
3:30pm 

Join us as we recognize the first anniversary of the murder of Carlos Reynaldo Lamadrid Guerrero by U.S. Border Patrol.  One year later, we continue to mourn the loss of our brother and we stand with the family of Carlos to demand answers for his death.

Mass and Vigil
5:00pm

Cochise Avenue & U.S. Mexico border

You may have heard that the State Legislature is trying to force Tucson to provide water to Painted Hills.  You remember that Painted Hills is a pristine 287 acre property just west of the city limits along the scenic highway to Gates Pass and the AZ Sonora Desert Museum.

This proposed development would result in blading of the desert, taking out 900 saguaro, and destroying wildlife linkages.

Pima County voters have twice voted to preserve this property for open space.  The city has twice taken the developers to court and won both times!

Now the Legislature is trying to do an end run around the people!

The good news is that the bill —  HB 2416 –  was defeated in the AZ House this past Thursday.

The bad news is that it will be re-considered this coming Wednesday, March 7.

It is URGENT that we keep the pressure on!

** Please contact AZ House of Representatives members who voted NO and thank them, and urge them to vote NO again!

 ** Please contact those who voted YES and urge them to vote NO on Wednesday.

 The roster with email addresses for the State legislature is attached.

Please note:  Here is a sample letter below that was sent to all of the House members who voted YES.  Interestingly,  Heather Carter responded and said she is thinking of changing her vote given implications of the bill that were not apparent.  It would be helpful if others could write her and the remaining House members who voted YES.  Please also send a note to Vic Williams (Republican in the Tucson area), Sally Ann Gonzalez, and Macario Saldate (our District 27) expressing appreciation for voting NO.

SUBJECT:  HB 2416–PLEASE CHANGE YOUR VOTE TO NO

Dear Rep.______ :

I am writing to ask for your vote against House Bill 2416.  We understand the bill will be reconsidered on March 7th.  The bill is proposed by David Stevens.  Unfortunately, this bill will impact Tucson’s carefully crafted efforts to develop a cohesive water service area policy.  After extensive work by the Joint Water and Wastewater Committee (2 1/2 years) appointed by the City of Tucson and Pima County, the policy balances the interest of current and future residents and the obligations already made to serve those outside the City boundaries.  House Bill 2416 has implications related to the Groundwater Management Act, which needs to be fully explored before passing this legislation.

The proposed bill tries to rectify a risky investment by the Dallas Police and Fire Pension Systems.  Their purchase of the property was at the peak of the real estate market.  The Pension Fund failed to renew their water assurance letter in time.  The resolution is best left to negotiations or the courts, not the legislature.

This bill defines where Tucson must serve, without regards to the infrastructure necessary to serve the property or the water resources available.

Other developers in the City may not have water resources available, because those resources will have all been obligated to developers outside of the City as a result of this bill.

If a City can not determine where it serves water, it will eventually find itself in violation of the Assured Water Supply rules and could lose its designation. This would jeopardize all local development.

Thank you for your consideration, and we would greatly appreciate your change in vote on this initiative.

Sincerely,

_______________

Below is a list of who voted for and against the bill on March 1:

Y = Yes
N = No
NV = Not Voting
EXC = Excused
V = Vacant

AYES: 28   NAYS: 30   NOT VOTING: 1   EXCUSED: 0   VACANT: 1

If you have seen the Border Patrol in the hospital parking lots, witnessed them handcuffing or arresting people in the hospitals, or had any sort of interaction with them in a hospital, please contact us!

Call 520.770.1373 or the Yo Soy Testigo hotline at: 520.261.5890. Ya Basta!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Protest and Presence at the Tucson City Council Meeting
5pm
Presidio Park
255 West Alameda
Tucson, AZ

On Wednesday, February 22nd, do the following THREE things to Protect Chuk Shon:

1) Contact the Tucson City Council
2) Protest outside the City Council meeting at 5pm
3) Attend the City Council meeting and stand against the Rio Nuevo Board

Contact the Tucson City Council
Tell them to stand strong against the Rio Nuevo Board suit! We need to demand that the land at the Chuk Shon site be restored and the Tres Mesquites landfill be remediated! Tell them that we demand:

Restoration of the land, especially the remediation of the Tres Mesquites landfill;
Representation of the people of Tucson and the Tohono and Akimel ‘O’odham nations on the Rio Nuevo Board–not appointees from the Governor and State Legislators who do not respect Tucson’s heritage;
Stand strong in the mediation and don’t give away our heritage–NO DEVELOPMENT that is not in accord with the original intentions approved by the voters!

Contact information for the Mayor and City Council:

Mayor Jonathan Rothschild
Email: mayor1@tucsonaz.gov
Tel: (520) 791-4201

Ward 1 Council Member Regina Romero
Email: ward1@tucsonaz.gov
Tel: (520) 791-4040

Ward 2 Council Member Paul Cunningham
Email: ward2@tucsonaz.gov
Tel: (520) 791-4687

Ward 3 Council Member Karin Uhlich
Email: ward3@tucsonaz.gov
Tel: (520) 791-4711

Ward 4 Vice Mayor Shirley Scott
Email: ward4@tucsonaz.gov
Tel: (520) 791-3199

Ward 5 Council Member Richard Fimbres
Email: ward5@tucsonaz.gov
Tel: (520) 791-4231

Ward 6 Council Member Steve Kozachik
Email: ward6@tucsonaz.gov
Tel: (520) 791-4601

Thursday, February 24, 2012

Contact the Rio Nuevo Board!

On Thursday, February 24th, contact the Rio Nuevo Board. Tell them we demand:

• Restoration of the land, especially the remediation of the Tres Mesquites landfill;
• Representation of the people of Tucson and the Tohono and Akimel ‘O’odham nations on the Rio Nuevo Board–not appointees from the Governor and State Legislators who do not respect Tucson’s heritage;
• STOP THE SUIT against the city and people of Tucson!

Contact info for the Rio Nuevo Board:

Board Chair, Jodi Bain:
Email: jabdistrict@hotmail.com
Tel: (520) 721-1900
*Ask to speak to her directly, if if she is not available, leave a message.

Vice Chair, Mark Irvin
Email: mark@markirvin.com

Treasurer, Jeff Hill
Email: jhill548@aol.com

Secretary, Alberto Moore
Email: albertomoore05@gmail.com

Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facility District (520) 792-4800

Background:

The City of Tucson is in mediation with the Rio Nuevo Board, and we need City to stand strong for the people of Tucson and NOT to sell us and our heritage out!

The Rio Nuevo Board has decided to go ahead with its suit against the City and People of Tucson in their land grab attempt to take ownership of Tucson’s birthplace and to open it up for private development. This is in direct defiance of the original voter approved and community supported plans for the area to be a place that honors and celebrates Tucson’s heritage.

The Rio Nuevo Board is made up of SB1070 supporters, opponents of Ethnic Studies, NAFTA lawyers and big real estate developers. It includes members such as Rosemont Copper lobbyist Rick Grinnel and Alberto Moore, one of those responsible for the destruction of Barrio Viejo in order to build La Placita and the Tucson Community Center.

We cannot allow the original Chuk Shon to become a private profit playground for people who are completely out of touch with our heritage and community values.

Monday, February 20, 2012
12pm
Derechos Humanos office
631 S. 6th Avenue
Tucson, Az

Planning for the Migrant Trail ’12 (May 28-June 3, 2012) will begin on February 20, 2012.  Past participants, organizers, friends and allies are invited to help to plan the ninth year of the Walk.  This would be most convenient if you lived in the Tucson/Arizona community, but there are a few committee members that assist from afar, so please don’t let that discourage you!

If you cannot make this meeting but are interested in being part of the Organizing Committee, please let us know by either replying to this e-mail or e-mailing migrant_trail@yahoo.com.

Dec 9th

6:30pm

Armory Park

220 5th Street, Tucson, AZ

Join us as we kick off our celebration of International Human Rights Day (Dec 10) and International Day of the Migrant (Dec 18th).

We begin with a community screening of Letters from the Other Side/Cartas del Otro Lado, a beautiful film that paints a complex portrait of families torn apart by economics, communities dying at the hands of globalization, and governments incapable or unwilling to do anything about it.

The film is in Spanish with English subtitles.

$5.00 suggested donation.

Nuestra Voz/Our Voice: Migration, Gender & Human Rights

Women & Violence, Women & Resistance

Saturday, December 10, 2011 9:30am-5:30pm

Join us for a day of speakers, workshops, and presentations led by women in the community who are working on issues of global justice. Lunch will be provided.

Workshops/Speakers will be in English & Spanish. Interpretation will be provided.

Also presenting Beyond the Walls: An Evening with the Women of Buen Pastor, Patio Six, a play the brings us the stories of 7 prisoners in Colombia, as well as a community performance by Gabriela Galup!

Wakefield Middle School

101 W. 44th Street, Tucson, AZ

Child Care will be available- please RSVP to reserve.

$10 suggested donation $5 low income.

For more information, contact Derechos Humanos at 520 770-1373

9:00 – 9:30am

Check-in/Registration/breakfast

9:30 – 9:35am

Welcome and logistical info

bathrooms, interpretation, etc.)

9:35 – 11:05am

Plenary: Women and Violence

Panelists

Alana Tchirkine:  

Consent

Dereka Rushbrook:

Structural Violence and Economics

Montserrat Caballero:  

Immigrant Women and Violence

Anna O’Leary:  

Women in the Intersection

11:10 – 12:40pm

Workshops

Prison Divestment 

Corazón de Tucson (Spanish)

Know Your Rights

Promotoras de Derechos Humanos (Spanish)

Secure Communities

Promotoras de Derechos Humanos (Spanish with Interpretation)

Violence Against Women

Su Voz Vale (Spanish with Interpretation)

12:40-1:10pm

Lunch  

1:10- 2:30pm

Play:

From Beyond the Walls: An Evening with the Women of Buen Pastor, Patio Six

 Artistic Performance:  

Gabriela Galup

2:30 – 3:45pm

Plenary: Women and Resistance

Panelists

Guillermina Torres, Derechos Humanos

Immigrant Women

Raquel Rubio-Goldsmith, UA Mexican American Studies

Ethnic Studies 

Elisa Meza, UNIDOS

Youth Organizing 

Brenda Límon, Pan Left, Tucson Samaritans

LGBTQ Community

3:50 – 5:20pm  

Workshops

Consent

Alana Tchirkine (English)

Food Justice

Tierra y Libertad (English with Interpretation)

Youth Organizing

UNIDOS (English)

Media

Pan Left Productions (English)

5:25pm 

Closing Remarks  by Isabel Garcia