Workshop: Researchers & Activists Working Together to Support Central American Migrants

Co-Sponsored by the Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC)
Attendance is free, but please
RSVP
With the Trump administration’s hard line policies at the US-Mexico border, challenges faced by migrants fleeing violence and poverty in northern Central America have been making global headlines.
On 11 March the Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC) and the Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS) will host a public lecture highlighting the transit experiences of Central Americans as they attempt to cross multiple borders and the response of grass-roots organizations in Mexico and the US. It features three speakers working in Mexico, Guatemala, and the Mexico-US border area: activist and organizer Adalberto Ramos, and researchers Gio B’atz’ (Giovanni Batz) and Elizabeth Oglesby. Commentary on implications for grassroots organizing/movement building and for Canadian policy makers will be provided by Francisco Rico-Martínez.
To follow up on that event CRS and CERLAC are hosting a workshop to explore how university-based researchers and activists working in the field can collaborate to support Central American migrants and to work towards policy change.
Agenda:
10:00-10:10: Welcome, acknowledgement of territory & introductions (Alan Durston)
10:10-10:30: Introducing the Canadian policy framework and Central American migrants (Sean Rehaag)
10:30-11:30: Breakout session 1: How can researchers support Central American migrants and grass roots organizations? (Co-facilitators: William Payne, Luin Goldring & Adalberto Ramos)
11:30-11:45: Health Break
11:45-12:45: Breakout session 2: How can researchers help push for policy change? (Co-facilitators: Carlota McAllister, Elizabeth Oglesby, & Gio B’atz’ (Giovanni Batz)
12:45-1:00: Concluding thoughts: Problematizing the boundaries between action and research (Alison Crosby)
1:00-1:30: Lunch & informal discussion