11/19/2006

People's Resolve in Oaxaca

If you missed it during the Latin American Film Festival XX,
Monday night at 7 at the CH Public Library Professor Altha J. Cravey and videographer Elva E. Bishop will present

PEOPLE'S GUELAGUETZA: OAXACANS TAKE IT TO THE STREETS

A Work in Progress ........................................

As usual, the mainstream media came late to the uprising in Mexico's beautiful southern city of Oaxaca. Those who see or listen to Democracy Now! and Free Speech Radio News or read the international press online discovered the awesome pro-democracy movement in its early days and felt the people's resolve as the Oaxaca teachers' strike was violently attacked by a corrupt governor, and the capital city of Oaxaca rose up in its defense.

In the early days, before NPR noticed and before the murder of Indymedia videographer Brad Will - whose camera recorded the assault on his life - our own Elva Bishop and UNC professor Altha Cravey had already recorded their video documentary. We will screen the video Monday the 20th 7pm at the Chapel Hill Public Library, and will have Altha and Elva with us to discuss the significance of ongoing events in Oaxaca.

Travelers to Mexico know the Guelaguetza as an indigenous cultural festival held annually in Oaxaca. What is not mentioned in the tourist brochures is the strong undercurrent of pro-democracy fervor that lives on from the Mexican revolution, reawakened by economic pressures like the ongoing NAFTA assault on the poor and middle class.
contact: Jerry Markatos 542-2139

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