Justice and Indigenous Language Revitalization:
Objective:
To promote linguistic justice as a collective human right and a tool for social and political transformation, while simultaneously revitalizing Mayan languages in Ohio.
Context:
The Maya community in Ohio faces significant barriers in courts, hospitals, schools, and immigration procedures due to the lack of interpreters in their language. This deficiency not only hampers effective communication but also constitutes a violation of fundamental rights. This program aims to transform language into a means of resistance, memory, and community organization, strengthening its presence and recognition in public and legal spheres.
​
___________________________________________________________________________________
Community Organization and Mobilization in Ohio:
Objective:
To strengthen Maya communities in Tuscarawas and Stark as political and social actors, fostering their organization to exercise rights, build their own narratives, and promote active participation in society.
Context:
Criminalization, raids, and social exclusion have deeply impacted Maya families, weakening community cohesion and trust. Grassroots organization is essential to confront fear, rebuild confidence, and generate collective solutions that address their needs and rights. This process aims to empower communities to advocate for their interests and reinforce their cultural identity.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Rights of the Indigenous LGBTQ+2S Community:
Objective:
To build an autonomous, organized, and active community where Indigenous LGBTQ+2S individuals can mobilize, advocate for their rights, and strengthen their leadership.
Context:
Being Indigenous, migrant, and LGBTQ+ involves facing triple invisibility, which ranges from exclusion in community spaces and LGBTQ+ movements often dominated by other voices, to criminalization by government systems and social persecution. Additionally, forced migration and violations of fundamental rights exacerbate this situation. This program breaks that exclusion by being created, led, and guided by members of the Indigenous LGBTQ+ community. It provides a safe, independent space where they have voice and vote, with dedicated resources, time, and spaces of their own.
​
_____________________________________________________________________________
Policy Engagement and Advocacy:
Objective:
To position the political narrative of displaced Maya peoples—highlighting the causes of forced migration and violations during resettlement—in order to drive structural change at local, state, national, and binational levels.
Context:
Maya communities in Ohio face criminalization and social exclusion, while in Guatemala, they confront the root causes of migration, including genocide, dispossession, and racism. It is essential to weave these two contexts into a unified narrative that advocates for systemic reforms and amplifies their collective voice for justice and recognition.
