Become an Activante* with SOA Watch in Latin America or Washington, DC

Become an Activante* with SOA Watch in Latin America or Washington, DC

Youth leadership in the SOA Watch movement is growing and getting things done. It is the youth of our movement who led the effective Adios Uribe campaign, facilitated the South-North Encuentro that brought together activists from 19 countries, directed the soon-to-be released SOA Watch film, and organized delegations to Honduras. It is the youth who carry the weight in organizing the upcoming massive SOA Watch November Vigil at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia (Nov.18-20, 2011).

Young people have also brought our movement to see the necessity of working from both sides of the border to confront militarization. And, of the importance of crossing over borders to be effective in resisting militarization and promoting a culture of peace.

And, in doing so, their own lives have been forever changed, shaped into global citizens who recognize their own powerful potential as they work together with others.

We would like to invite others to join in this rich experience of becoming an SOA Watch activante* in one of four locations in the Americas.

* The term activante was coined by our first international team of young activists, who did not identify with the term "intern." They flipped the Spanish version of the word, pasante – associated to the Spanish pasivo, passive – to its opposite: activante. This term is a good reflection of what the role calls for: energy, leadership, initiative, dynamism, and creativity.
Photo of Father Roy Bourgeois together with the six young SOA Watch activists from Venezuela, Argentina, Honduras and the United States, who helped to plan and lead the North-South SOA Watch Encuentro (from left to right: Maia, Gabriela, Jimena, Father Roy, Alejandro, Joe and Rose, photo by Pablo Ruiz)


Accompaniment Activante in Honduras
After the SOA-led coup in 2009, repression in Honduras was brutally unleashed against the growing resistance movement . Over 100 people have been killed and in recent weeks students and peasant leaders have been assassinated. The presence of international accompaniment is urgently being requested by our Honduran partners as a way of bringing a measure of safety to the lives of Hondurans taking a stand for justice. This position requires experience in Latin America, fluency in Spanish and a commitment of 6 months. Stipend for travel, food and lodging is available. If interested, contact: Lisa at LSullivan@soaw.org


Communications Activante in the SOA Watch Office in Santiago, Chile
Youth in Chile are at the forefront of challenging an economic model cemented by the Pinochet dictatorship that forces young people into debt before their adult lives begin. In the past week one student was killed by security forces when protesting the growing privatization of education. The SOA Watch Chile activante would join SOA Watch’s Equipo Sur office in Santiago in connecting with this growing youth movement in Chile as well as contributing to the monthly Boletin de las Americas and the Somos Una America radio program. These are two dynamic formats that share initiatives of anti militarization work throughout Latin America. This position requires Spanish fluency, experience in communications and a commitment of 4-6 months. If interested, contact Pablo at PRuiz@soaw.org


Youth Leadership Activante in the SOA Watch Office in Barquisimeto, Venezuela
This person would join a team of activantes from several Latin American countries in laying the groundwork for a budding SOA Watch youth movement. They will work together to organize local and bi-national “encuentros” to connect youth who are using art, radio, theater, music, dance and more to challenge a system of militarization. This position requires Spanish fluency, energy, love of team work and a commitment of 4-6 months. If interested contact Lisa at LSullivan@soaw.org


Organizing Activante in the SOA Watch Office in Washington, DC in the United States
The Organizing activante would work in the SOA Watch office in DC in the Winter/Spring of 2012 to help with the coordination, and promotion of the SOA Watch Days of Action in April 2012. The work could include, but is not limited to: working with SOA Watch working groups on elements of event organizing, assisting with outreach and convening the organizing process, updating the web site, and contacting partner organizations and supporting grassroots activists in their work to build outreach, media, direct action, legislative and organizing capacities. If interested click here and contact Nico at Nico@soaw.org