Grassroots spreads the word on Global South movements at national conferences, social media.

Grassroots International is hard at work across the U.S. and beyond putting issues such as climate justice, food sovereignty, resource rights, Palestine, women’s leadership—even when they are controversial or unpopular—into the limelight. 

Spreading the word is a key strategy we use to advance resource rights, particularly when it comes to connecting our Global South partners to sources of solidarity, funding and support, and making changes in policies here in the U.S.  We do more than give grants; we build solidarity right here in the U.S. for our partners and their social movements.  It is also a key reason why funders and donors choose Grassroots International as a vehicle to support them.

This April has turned into a busy month for Grassroots.  Here’s a sampling of some of what we’re up to:

• In Washington, DC on April 10, we are joining with Grassroots Global Justice Alliance (GGJ) for a special evening celebrating Grassroots Feminist Internationalism.  This event features powerful women leaders that Grassroots is bringing to the Northeast to talk about the remarkable social movements making big changes around the world.  Graça Samo, International Coordinator of the World March of Women hails from Mozambique; and María Jose Urbina of Nicaragua will be representing the Women’s Commission of the 200 million-strong Via Campesina.  Grassroots Internationals’ Executive Director, Chung-Wha Hong and Cindy Wiesner, National Coordinator of Grassroots Global Justice Alliance will also be speaking.
• In Boston on Monday, April 13, 6:30 – 8:30pm, Grassroots International in collaboration with over a dozen other organizations is bringing two remarkable women activists and leaders from Mozambique and Nicaragua.  The event, entitled Women Leading the Way for a Better World – Celebrating Grassroots Feminist Internationalism, features Maria da Graça Samo, International Coordinator of the World March of Women, Mozambique, and Maria Jose Urbina of the Association of Rural Workers (ATC), Nicaragua.  They will delve into their unique experiences organizing for women’s rights in the Global South and how women’s leadership in major social movements is growing across the globe. Additionally, there will be discussion about the links to local grassroots organizing efforts in the US such as food sovereignty, #BlackLivesMatter, climate and environmental justice. This event is in commemoration of the International Day of Peasant Struggle.
• On April 20, Mark Bittman, renowned food columnist with the New York Times, will be teaming up with Grassroots’ Sara Mersha and Anim Steel for a webinar called Edible Education 101: The Rise and Future of the Food Movement. They will explore answers to the hot question of how do we make the food system more sustainable and equitable.
• On April 21, award winning author/activist Raj Patel, Grassroots’ Sara Mersha, Director of Director of Grantmaking and Advocacy, and Professor Phil Bereano, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington and community activist will be featured on a web-broadcasted program, GMO, Food Sovereignty & the Environmental Movement, which looks at the  links between food sovereignty and the broader environmental movement.