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WORKING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
OF PEACE & DIGNITY PROJECT, USA
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Work towards
increasing the financial independence of the food
cooperative through the initiation of a staffed office in Tecate,
Baja California, Mexico. Peace & Dignity Project is working with Proyecto
Paz y Dignidad to secure funds to operate a staffed office that will
help the indigenous people in the area as well as run the cooperative.
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Secure funds or
a donation of a truck for transporting food.
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Help secure funds
for Proyecto Mujer to begin building the living quarters (albergue)
near the urban area of Tecate for native students attending junior
high or high school who live in rural areas where there are no schools.
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Help secure funds
for all Proyecto Mujer programs and projects.
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Form a team of
native men to learn how to build rammed earth buildings, using the
living quarters as set forth below as both the hands-on portion and
as a means of earning a living that will continue beyond this compound.
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Together with
Proyecto Paz y Dignidad and Culturales Populares (a Mexican federal
agency with an office in Tijuana), create a Dia
de Los Muertos celebration to be held annually in Tecate, Baja
California.
- Together with
Proyecto Paz y Dignidad and Sycuan Indian Reservation, create a Kumeyaay
workforce from Mexico that will work at the casinos to help support
their families. This program will include job training and development;
housing during the week near the casinos; and English language acquisition
at DQ University. Natives 21 and under must have a high school degree
from Mexico.
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WHAT IS PROYECTO PAZ Y DIGNIDAD,
TECATE, BAJA CALIFORNIA NORTE, MEXICO?
IN JANUARY 2001 a
group of Kumeyaay native women, led by Laura Cota Lopez, asked Peace &
Dignity Project to help them establish an asosiación civil (civil
association) so that they could work more effectively in Mexico and seek
funding from the agencies that are available to local Native American
non-profit organizations. In September 2001 the paperwork was complete
and Laura Cota Lopez, Julia Meza Thing and Thelma Pamela Perez Meza became
the founding directors of Proyecto Paz y Dignidad in Tecate, Baja California,
Mexico.
MISSION
PROYECTO PAZ Y DIGNIDAD
IS WORKING to improve the conditions of the native people through educational
programs, medical programs and self-sustaining development, especially
the elders, youth and mothers. These programs and projects include the
responsibilities of running and the expansion of Cooperative Yumana and
the founding and operation of Proyecto Mujer.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF PROYECTO
PAZ Y DIGNIDAD
COOPERATIVA YUMANA
EXPANSION
- Expand the three
distribution points reached by the cooperative to include the following
three distribution points:
- The Misteco
(Oaxaca) natives living south of Tecate in the predominantly agricultural
farm workers from Ensenada down through Manadero and San Quintin;
- East to Mexicali
and San Luis Rio Colorado to serve the Cocopah Nation in El Mayor
and San Luis Rio Colorado;
- And west towards
Tijuana to include Maclovio Rojas.
- Expand the services
of the cooperative to include nutritional education, especially in the
area of mothers and babies, and to increase the amount of nutritious
food available to the young and the elderly. Hold rotating workshops
weekly at the twelve different distribution points.
- Add services that
will be available to the members of the cooperative so that they can
receive discounts at certain designated clinics and pharmacies, as well
as for legal or other help as needed.
- Work with Native
Sun Company (Hopi) or other entity to learn more about solar power and
how we can use it in the rural areas to create a supply of electricity.
Possibly create a maquiladora to build the solar equipment and employ
the native people in the area of Tecate.
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PROYECTO MUJER
- Establish and
build living quarters for native youth attending school away from home.
These native youth will include junior high and high school students
from around the Tecate area. Many rural areas do not have any junior
high or high schools available, increasing the already high drop out
rate for Kumeyaay and other natives in the area. Plans include building
a rammed earth structure to house 40 students with a dormitory, kitchen,
study/computer area, showers and workshop areas.
- The rammed earth
project will be a learning/training project to begin a self-sustaining
business that will continue after the living quarters are built. Traditional
land of San Jose de Tecate has been designated for the living quarters
by Julia Meza Thing and Thelma Pamela Perez Meza from their property
to be used solely for this purpose.
- To provide an area
in the student compound that will be used to raise native plants to
continue with the education of the students in herbal healing and medicine.
These plants will be on sale to help support the traditional cultural
activities.
- To increase the
number of native speakers by incorporating language learning into the
program that will be available at the living quarters. Thelma Pamela
Perez Meza, one of the few native Kumeyaay speakers, will be the teacher
along with her mother, elder Julia Meza Thing. As other indigenous youth
join the compound, native language speakers will be available to teach
language.
- Preserve oral history
and storytelling of the Yumans-a project to digitalize in visual and
audio manner, family pictures and histories of the Kumeyaay and other
aboriginal peoples in and around the Tecate municipality.
- Develop a Yuman
Research Center and Repository to hold artifacts and the above recordings
and videos.
- Create a medical
program whereby elders, youths and mothers can be attended to one weekend
per month per designated area. The medical program will include workshops
for family planning, domestic violence, STDs, HIV/AIDs, diabetes and
other health issues that are particular to this area.
- Establish a fund
for scholarships to help native Kumeyaay students who wish to attend
the university pay for books and tuition.
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WHAT IS COOPERATIVA YUMANA?
COOPERATIVA YUMANA
is a food cooperative started by Peace & Dignity Project in September
of 1998. This cooperative operates in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico
and serves the food needs of its members. Members consist of anyone who
needs good food at a better price. A membership costs $100 pesos per family
or household (approximately $11) and dispensas are available for $250
pesos (basic nutritional food to feed four for about two weeks). Originally
started to assist the indigenous people in the area, the poverty level
in Mexico is so high that we quickly realized the need for good food was
far greater than we thought. Our sister organization, Proyecto Paz y Dignidad
of Tecate, Mexico, has secured discounts with local pharmacies and doctors
to help our members in other ways. Proyecto Paz y Dignidad is taking over
the responsibilities of operating and expanding the cooperative and is
actively seeking funding in conjunction with Peace & Dignity Project to
support the infrastructure.
From 1998 through
the present, Cooperativa Yumana has continued to help over 150 families
throughout the Tecate area, although the recent 2001-2002 recession has
drastically reduced the volume. The greatest percent of members are currently
Kumeyaay families. The expansion of the coop will help to bring more services
to the Kumeyaay who have been separated from their relations by an imposed
border.
WHAT IS PROYECTO MUJER?
PROYECTO MUJER IS
THE BRAINCHILD of the director of Proyecto Paz y Dignidad, Laura D. Cota
Lopez. Laura, a Kumeyaay native, volunteers much of her time and service
to help the native elders and native children with disabilities. To this
end, she wants to establish and secure funding for Proyecto Mujer so that
her services can be used in conjunction with Proyecto Paz y Dignidad to
help the native women, elders and youth in the areas of education, employment,
family issues and medical services.
The other founding
directors of Proyecto Paz y Dignidad, Julia Meza Thing and Thelma Pamela
Perez Meza are some of the last fluent speakers of their native language,
a dialect of the Kumeyaay idioma. They are currently struggling with a
legal battle to regain land that was stolen from them and need help. However,
they are so committed to sustaining the language and tradition, they want
to lease their land for a small sum to Proyecto Paz y Dignidad in support
of their commitment. They also want to teach the native language to the
youths who will be living in the albergue (dormitory) that will be built
on their land. Together with the help of others, these native women are
working to keep their tradition and culture alive.
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THREE-YEAR
PLAN
EXPANSION OF COOPERATIVA
YUMANA
Over the next three
years, Proyecto Paz y Dignidad and Peace & Dignity Project hope to expand
the food cooperative and make it more independent and self-sufficient.
Our goals for the next three years are as follows:
YEAR ONE
- Open offices in
Tecate to maintain the records for the food coop, buy and receive food
and other goods and expand the services available to members. Membership
expansion goals are to expand from 150 families to 450 families/households.
- Secure funds for
a large truck for transporting food from vendors to the warehouse and
then to distribution points as necessary.
- Establish and maintain
distribution points for coop food in Valle Las Palmas (already established
for one year), Aviación (Tecate) area, Ensenada area and San Quintin
area.
- Create photo id
cards for coop members that can be used in conjunction with the discounts
available from various businesses, including doctors, lawyers and pharmacies.
- Maintain a database
of the coop members, including what and when they buy to understand
how much nutrition is being put into their diet. Hold weekly rotating
nutrition classes for the local native women to understand how to have
a better diet and how to prepare healthy food. One workshop per month
at four distribution points.
- Begin to work with
a solar company such as Native Sun, (a Native American solar power company)
to research the capability to establish a relationship and explore options
in partnership to manufacture solar panels and other solar equipment
in Tecate.
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YEAR TWO
- Maintain and expand
offices/warehouse in Tecate to maintain the records for the food coop,
buy and receive food and other goods and expand the services available
to members.
- Maintain four established
distribution points and establish four more distribution points for
coop food in Maclovio Rojas, Mexicali, El Mayor and San Luis Colorado
to serve the needs of the natives in these areas. Expand membership
from 450 to 850 families/households.
- Secure funds for
a second large truck for transporting food from vendors to the warehouse
and then to distribution points as necessary.
- Create photo id
cards for 400 new coop members/households to be used in conjunction
with discounts obtained in the areas opened from various businesses,
including doctors, lawyers and pharmacies.
- Expand rotating
workshops from weekly to twice a week to the areas needed to educate
the people regarding nutrition and healthy food preparation. Maintain
database of nutritional statistics on members for further research.
One workshop per month at eight distribution points with 3 teaching
personnel.
- Create a maquiladora
with Native Sun or other manufacturer to manufacture solar panels and
other solar equipment.
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YEAR THREE
- Maintain offices
in Tecate to maintain the records for the food coop, buy and receive
food and other goods and expand the services available to members. Membership
expansion goals are to expand from 850 families to 1,250 families/households.
- Work with Yoreme
nation in Sonora and Sinaloa to establish and maintain four distribution
points for coop food in needed areas. Expand membership from 350 to
450 households/members. Maintain eight established distribution points.
- Secure funds for
a third large truck for transporting food from vendors to the warehouse
and then to distribution points as necessary.
- Create photo id
cards for 400 new coop members to be used in conjunction with discounts
obtained in the areas opened from various businesses, including doctors,
lawyers and pharmacies.
- Expand rotating
workshops from weekly to three times a week to the areas needed to educate
the people regarding nutrition and healthy food preparation. Maintain
database of nutritional statistics on members for further research.
One workshop per month at twelve distribution points with 5 teaching
personnel.
- Maintain partnership
with Native Sun or other manufacturer to manufacture solar panels and
other solar equipment.
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PROYECTO MUJER
YEAR ONE
- Operate the projects
and programs of Proyecto Mujer.
- Native Student
Living Quarters
- Establish and build
living quarters (albergue) for native students who need to attend junior
high or high school and live away from home. Traditional land has been
designated for the school/living compound. Build a rammed earth structure
to house 40 students with a dormitory, kitchen, study/computer area,
showers and workshop areas. Traditional land with a 99-year lease for
20 hectares.
- Rammed Earth Employment
Project -- Use the above rammed earth structure to be the first learning/training
project for the team of workers who wish to begin a career in this business.
Start a native-owned company that will work with possible native partners
from the US side who have construction business and wish to expand their
business by offering rammed earth construction.
- Family History
Preservation Project -- Seek partnerships or associations with universities
(UC Santa Barbara Chicano Archives, SDSU and others) or reservations
to do enthnographic research, set up paradigms, to begin to digitally
preserve native family photos and record oral history and stories of
ten families, including recording of songs and language use, permissions,
etc. Have family members begin to gather memorabilia, photos and artifacts
of the ten families to photograph and videotape. Gain permission/releases
from the elders and the family members to be part of this project.
- Yuman Research
Center & Repository -- Begin fundraising efforts to create a rammed
earth structure that will also serve as part of the training for the
rammed earth project named above. A special facility will be created
that will be used to preserve the artifacts of the Yuman people.
- Medical Aid Program
-- Establish fundraising efforts to buy a passenger van for transporting
the sick and infirm to medical clinics; supply van with equipment and
supplies to attend to the sick and infirm. Initiate a program for health
checkups to be held in conjunction with nutrition workshops described
above and health-related workshops described below to begin to evaluate
and prioritize the health problems of the natives and native elders.
Establish instructional workshops in health-related issues to educate
the native people regarding diabetes, family planning, sexually transmitted
diseases, tobacco and other health issues as they arise. One workshop
at each of four distribution points.
- Native Scholarship
Fund -- Establish fundraising efforts to create an fund for annual scholarships
for native students wishing to attend the university. This annual fund
will cover tuition and book costs.
- Días de
Los Muertos Annual Celebration -- Day of the Dead (Dias de los Muertos)
will include a teach-in on November 1 about the multi-traditions to
create sensitivity and respect for the many native celebrations of Day
of the Dead. Hold "campo santo"; workshops throughout the month of October
on papel picado, sugar skulls, paper flower coronas, pan de muerto and
the preparation of the panteones (cemeteries) to welcome the spirits
on November 1 and 2. On October 31, a celebration and altar building
will take place in the center of town with schools of the area building
their ofrendas to lead up to the main altar in the gazebo. A Muertos
marketplace featuring sales of flowers, coronas, papel picado, sugar
skulls and pan de muerto with music and a raffle to raise money to rebuild
the Kumeyaay cemeteries/campo santos will be held two weekends in the
month of October. On November 1 and 2 families go to offer their ofrendas
to their relations at the "campo santo" of the Kumeyaay.
- Worker Program
-- Initiate program in conjunction with Sycuan reservation to hire Kumeyaay
to work at different casinos in the San Diego area. This will include
housing for 20 workers with English acquisition classes at DQ University.
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YEAR TWO
- Operate the offices
of Proyecto Paz y Dignidad and run Cooperativa Yumana. Operate the projects
and programs of Proyecto Mujer.
- Student Living
Quarters -- Complete rammed earth structure (albergue) to house 40 students
with a dormitory, kitchen, study/computer area, showers and workshop
areas. Begin staffing for kitchen, maintenance and management staff.
Buy operating supplies (food and janitorial). Hire three of the six
planned personnel. Establish an area to sow native plants and work with
native seed companies to sell or buy seeds/plants as needed. Establish
an area in which to sow a garden to grow food for the students and sell
the surplus. Initiate animal husbandry and ethnobotanic programs.
- Rammed Earth Project
-- Continue learning/training project for the team of workers who wish
to begin a career in this business. Establish a native-owned company
to win contracts with possible native partners from the US who have
construction needs or businesses and wish to expand their business by
offering rammed earth construction.
- Family History
Preservation Project -- Continue documenting the ten-family histories,
stories and songs in photograph and videotape. Expand project to include
10 more families.
- Yuman Research
Center & Repository -- Continue fundraising efforts to complete rammed
earth structure that will also serve as part of the training for the
rammed earth project named above. A special facility will be created
that will be used to preserve the artifacts of the Yuman people.
- Medical Aid Program
-- Continue fundraising efforts to buy a second passenger van for transporting
and caring for the sick and infirm. Expand efforts to Cocopah nation.
Expand program for health checkups to be held in conjunction with nutrition
workshops described above and health-related workshops described below
to begin to evaluate and prioritize the health problems of the natives
and native elders in the expanded areas. Maintain and care for sick
and infirm in current area. Begin medical aide program for those natives
interested in furthering their education. Continue and expand instructional
workshops in health-related issues to educate the native people regarding
diabetes, family planning, sexually transmitted diseases, tobacco and
other health issues as they arise. One workshop at each of eight distribution
points. Begin domestic violence education.
- Native Scholarship
Fund -- Continue fundraising efforts to add to an annual fund for scholarships
for native students wishing to attend the university. This annual fund
will cover tuition and book costs.
- Días de
Los Muertos Annual Celebration -- Day of the Dead (Dias de los Muertos)
will include a teach-in on November 1 about the multi-traditions to
create sensitivity and respect for the many native celebrations of Day
of the Dead. Hold "campo santo"; workshops throughout the month of October
on papel picado, sugar skulls, paper flower coronas, pan de muerto and
the preparation of the panteones (cemeteries) to welcome the spirits
on November 1 and 2. On October 31, a celebration and altar building
will take place in the center of town with schools of the area building
their ofrendas to lead up to the main altar in the gazebo. Music and
a raffle to raise money to rebuild the cemeteries of the Kumeyaay will
be held, as well as sales of flowers, coronas, papel picado, sugar skulls
and pan de muerto. On November 1 and 2 families go to offer their ofrendas
to their relations at the "campo santo" of the Kumeyaay.
- Worker Program
-- Expand program in conjunction with Sycuan reservation to hire Kumeyaay
to work at different casinos in the San Diego area. This will include
housing for 35 workers and English acquisition classes at DQ University.
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YEAR THREE
- Continue to operate
the offices of Proyecto Paz y Dignidad and run Cooperativa Yumana. Operate
the projects and programs of Proyecto Mujer.
- Native Student
Living Quarters Program -- Accept 40 students for the living quarters
and language preservation project. Continue buying supplies to operate
the facility. Expand staff from three to six. Continue to sow native
plants and work with native seed companies to sell or buy seeds/plants
as needed. Expand garden to grow food for the additional students and
sell the surplus.
- Rammed Earth Project
-- Continue to use native-owned company to win national and international
contracts with possible native partners from the US side who have construction
business.
- Family History
Preservation Project -- Continue documenting 10 more family histories,
stories and songs in photograph and videotape.
- Yuman Research
Center & Repository -- Continue fundraising efforts to preserve the
artifacts of the Yuman people, which have been collected or donated.
Manage and run facility.
- Medical Aid Program
-- Continue fundraising efforts to buy two more passenger vans for transporting
or visiting the sick and infirm. Continue with Cocopah nation and expand
area to cover Yoreme in Sonora and Sinoloa. -- Expand program for health
checkups to be held in conjunction with nutrition workshops described
above and health-related workshops described below to begin to evaluate
and prioritize the health problems of the natives and native elders
in the new areas and continue to maintain the health care programs initiated
in the past two years. Continue and expand instructional workshops in
health-related issues to educate the native people regarding diabetes,
family planning, sexually transmitted diseases, tobacco and other health
issues as they arise. One workshop at each of eight distribution points.
Maintain education program initiated in the past two years.
- Native Scholarship
Fund -- Continue fundraising efforts for scholarships for native students
wishing to attend the university. This annual fund will cover tuition
and book costs.
- Días de
Los Muertos Annual Celebration -- Day of the Dead (Dias de los Muertos)
will include a teach-in on November 1 about the multi-traditions to
create sensitivity and respect for the many native celebrations of Day
of the Dead. Hold "campo santo"; workshops throughout the month of October
on papel picado, sugar skulls, paper flower coronas, pan de muerto and
the preparation of the panteones (cemeteries) to welcome the spirits
on November 1 and 2. On October 31, a celebration and altar building
will take place in the center of town with schools of the area building
their ofrendas to lead up to the main altar in the gazebo. Music and
a raffle to raise money to rebuild the cemeteries of the Kumeyaay will
be held, as well as sales of flowers, coronas, papel picado, sugar skulls
and pan de muerto. On November 1 and 2 families go to offer their ofrendas
to their relations at the "campo santo" of the Kumeyaay.
- Worker Program
-- Expand program in conjunction with Sycuan reservation to hire Kumeyaay
to work at different casinos in the San Diego area. This will include
housing for 55 workers and English acquisition classes at DQ University.
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