Grassroots International

*VIOLENCE AND ILLEGAL DETENTION IN MARANHÃO: Landless families from the Salete Moreno Camp, in the municipality of Itinga, Maranhão, suffer violent and illegal action by the Military Police.

‼️ AÇÃO ACONTECEU SEM ORDEM JUDICIAL; MULHER FOI AGREDIDA E TRÊS PESSOAS FORAM PRESAS

🚩 Na noite desta quinta-feira (1/8), o Tribunal de Justiça do Maranhão concedeu liberdade a três militantes do Movimento Sem Terra presos em violenta ação policial no Acampamento Salete Moreno, no município de Itinga.

⚖️ Os setores jurídico e de direitos humanos do movimento apontam que a ação é considerada ilegal, uma vez que um comboio com cerca de cinco viaturas adentrou o acampamento e os policiais agrediram fisicamente e deram ordem de prisão a militantes sem a expedição e apresentação de ordem judicial.

📲 SAIBA MAIS: https://mst.org.br/2024/08/02/justica-concede-liberdade-a-militantes-do-mst-presos-em-acao-violenta-no-maranhao/

“If you ask an agribusiness person what land is, it’s a space for production. If you ask a family farmer, it’s home. It's where life happens.”

Our Brazil delegation ended with a bang, with three deeply impactful days with another of our amazing Brazilian partners, Movimento Camponês Popular (MCP, Popular Peasant Movement). From within the belly of the beast of Brazil’s agricultural and mining industrial complex, the family farmers of MCP are saving and reproducing creole (peasant) seeds, creating agroecological corridors, standing up to extractive megaprojects, and advocating for the rights of peasants to grow safe and healthy food to feed the population.

Our final day was particularly moving as we heard directly from communities resisting the devastating impacts of mining projects, who are seeking international solidarity to amplify their struggles.

Stay tuned for more to come and learn more about the MCP here: https://grassrootsonline.org/partners/movimento-campones-popular-popular-peasant-movement-mcp/

This week we met up with many of our movement partners in Brazil — including. Levante Popular da Juventude (Popular Youth Uprising, LPJ). These dynamic youth organizers had a lot to say about their work, so we're just going to let them speak for themselves:

"Neoliberal ideology individualizes a lot. It’s hard to convince the youth to organize collectively.

We see our task today as building popular strength so we can not only defend democracy but dispute the agenda at the national level and raise the demands of youth...

We have been moving forward building bonds of solidarity with both national and international allies, including Grassroots International, to whom we are grateful for helping us to strengthen."

It was so great to meet with this dynamic youth movement!

Land to sustain livelihoods, livelihoods that sustain land... not agribusiness land grabs.

In the eyes of Brazilian and foreign agribusiness elite, Brazil's highly diverse and extremely vulnerable Cerrado savannah is of little value in its natural state, making it a prime zone for land grabbing for industrial monocrop production. But members of MST - Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra's Pequeno William settlement in the Federal District have a different take: "If you look at the Cerrado as a source of income, you can see money everywhere without needing to cut it down."

Through agroecology, they are bringing Cerrado land once devastated by industrial agriculture back to life. This includes preserving and propagating native trees and plants adapted to the Cerrado's dry climate and acidic soils and restoring damaged soil through nutrient- dense ground cover. As they recover the land and its biodiversity, they are recovering ancestral knowledge on uses of native vegetation, from food to medicine to liquor to natural dyes and perfumes. And they are exploring ways to make Cerrado-based products accessible to consumers as a form of sustainable livelihood generation.

"We need to generate income through using and preserving at the same time. Our efforts are to keep the Cerrado standing."

Follow along this week for more from our Brazil delegation!

Food sovereignty and popular agrarian reform are rooted in community and land!

The 8 de Março encampment and Pequeno William settlement of graciously hosted Grassroots International donors and supporters and taught us more about their work.

For decades, the movement has organized hundreds of thousands of members to move people from landless and impoverished conditions to homes, communal farming, and dignity. We are honored to have accompanied them as partners for over 25 years — supporting their human rights defense, agroecology trainings, and other efforts.

Stay tuned for another report from our Brazil solidarity delegation!

We're off to Brazil!

This week, Grassroots International donors and supporters are learning firsthand from our movement partners. We're excited for the journey ahead and stories we'll share.

Over the weekend, we visited the Florestan Fernandes National School of the MST - Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Terra. The school serves to train organizers across Brazil (and the world!) in movement building, food sovereignty, and more. As was emphasized to us, an educated movement brings popular agrarian reform closer to reality.

Like many institutions in the MST, the school is run collectively, with everyone pitching in. Our group was no exception, joining in on kitchen duty. Thank you to the MST for hosting us!

Follow along this week for more photos and reflections from Brazil!

To celebrate Disability Pride Month in July, let us reclaim and recognize the powerful radicalism of Helen Keller and the many other organizers, activists, and fighters for liberation with various disabilities.

In struggling for a better world, we also struggle to tear down the walls that judge people's physical and mental abilities based on how "productive" they are in making profits for the few. Disability, as many activists have argued, is a social construction.

🌿 Have you checked out this insightful article on q***r ecological frameworks and their impact on environmental justice in Appalachia published by The Nonprofit Quarterly ?

Zane McNeill explores how q***r ecologies challenge the harmful “against nature” narratives that have long marginalized LGBTQIA+ communities. By reimagining natural spaces as sites of resistance, q***r activists in Appalachia are addressing both environmental degradation and social inequality.
In a region often exploited for its resources and culturally marginalized, a q***r ecological approach provides a powerful tool for liberation.

This article delves into how grassroots movements are building inclusive, sustainable futures, intertwining the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights with environmental advocacy.

Read the full article to discover how Appalachia's unique challenges and vibrant communities are paving the way for a more equitable and ecologically sound future. 🌈🌳
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/a-q***r-ecological-framework-for-environmental-justice-in-appalachia/

***rEcology

A Q***r Ecological Framework for Environmental Justice in Appalachia - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly What is “q***r ecologies” theory, and what would this approach look like in Appalachia?

Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth is both about celebrating Black freedom that has come from abolitionist and slave rebellions, and continuing to question what freedom means. Freedom is still being fought through environmental justice and climate justice movements, and through movements to end the criminalization of Black bodies through police brutality and over-incarceration.

https://grassrootsonline.org/learning_hub/what-does-freedom-mean/

🌈 In honor of Pride Month, we're spotlighting KOURAJ, a beacon of hope for LGBTQIA+ individuals in Haiti. Amidst the ongoing crisis, KOURAJ stands firm in its commitment to fight for the rights of q***r Haitians.

Their vision is clear: a liberated Haiti where LGBTQIA+ individuals can live authentically and thrive. With compassionate mental health care, human rights training, and access to medical support, they're creating space for their community to heal, grow, and lead the charge for change. Together, they are working towards a brighter, more equitable future for all Haitians. 🏳️‍🌈💪🇭🇹

Having KOURAJ to Make a Difference in Haiti | Grassroots International Q***r Haitians are organizing for their rights and dignity in a hostile environment. And Grassroots International, through our Martín-Baró Initiative, is providing resources for the community to organize, heal, and connect. Ongoing colonialism and inequality in Haiti have created a perfect storm o...

Grassroots International stands with our partners in Guatemala. 🌿

We are heartbroken to report the tragic murders of José Alberto Domingo Montejo and Marcelo Yaxón Pablo, and the wounding of Gustavo Yaxón, all courageous defenders of peasant rights with the Comité de Unidad Campesina (CUC).

This brutal attack highlights the escalating dangers faced by those fighting for democracy and human rights in Guatemala. We condemn these acts of violence and the forced displacements of Indigenous communities.

We call for a thorough investigation to hold those responsible accountable and stand united with CUC and all progressive forces demanding justice and true democracy in Guatemala. Read about it here:

Guatemala Mourns Murder of Peasants’ Rights Defenders | Grassroots International Tragically, on June 5, armed paramilitaries killed and wounded three defenders of peasants' rights in Guatemala.

There’s no liberation for any of us without q***r liberation. There’s no Pride without sovereignty and liberation for all of us.

The critical issues we join our partners to work on— the climate crisis, poverty, oppression, and violence—are deeply interconnected. Our partners are leading dynamic and intersecting struggles across various fronts. Grassroots feminists combat gender-based violence, Indigenous Peoples defend their territories and waterways, and peasants challenge corporate agriculture to protect the planet. These collective efforts not only address immediate injustices but also lay the foundation for a more liberated and sustainable world.

Pride Month is an opportune time to highlight the intersectionality of these struggles with LGBTQIA+ liberation. The fight for human rights defense, ecological justice, food sovereignty, healing and wellbeing, grassroots feminisms, and the defense of territory all intersect with the experiences and rights of LGBTQIA+ people. For example, q***r working-class and rural peoples are disproportionately affected by environmental and economic crises, yet they also contribute significantly to innovative solutions and resilient communities. These intersections underscore how important it is to acknowledge and integrate diverse identities and experiences in our struggles.

Our partners' work demonstrates that true liberation requires an intersectional approach, recognizing how various forms of oppression and inequality are interlinked. By supporting diverse movements—from those resisting extractive industries to those advancing food sovereignty and healing justice—Grassroots International is committed to fostering a world where all individuals, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, or class, can thrive. This holistic approach not only strengthens our collective fight against injustice but also ensures that the solutions we build are inclusive and sustainable for everyone.

Not gay as in happy, but q***r as in decolonize. Q***r as in food sovereignty, as in climate justice, as in free Palestine. No Pride in genocide.
Learn more about the work we and our partners are doing:

Grassroots International | Issues areas we work on We live in a world beset by climate crisis, poverty, oppression and violence. Our partners are paving the way forward with light and hope.

"The borders of gender expression are controlled, the ‘territory’ of bodily autonomy is seized, like any other apartheid wall or land grab our partners face from Palestine to Mexico."

This Pride Month, we’re shining a spotlight on global trans resistance! Our partners and grantees are leading the fight for trans and q***r liberation, illustrating why gender and sexual freedom are essential for global social justice.

🌍🌈 Trans and q***r liberation is deeply interconnected with broader struggles for environmental sustainability, racial justice, and economic equity. The same systems that threaten biodiversity and impose monoculture also seek to erase gender diversity. From fighting against colonialism in Palestine to advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights in Puerto Rico, our partners are at the forefront of this work.

Read our latest blog post to explore these intersections and learn how our partners are making a difference worldwide. Link in bio! https://grassrootsonline.org/learning_hub/celebrating-global-trans-resistance/

✨ Let’s support and uplift these courageous activists and organizations. Together, we can create a more just and equitable world.

Celebrating Global Trans Resistance | Grassroots International For June, Pride Month, we’re uplifting the ways our partners and grantees champion trans and q***r liberation. Movements around the world are showing why gender and sexual freedom is necessary for struggles for the planet, people, and global social justice. THE NECESSITY OF TRANS LIBERATION Adapti...

Proud to accompany Kebetkache Women Dev. & Resource Centre as they organize climate justice feminism in Nigeria!

As attacks on Gaza escalate, this Mental Health Awareness Month, we highlight the critical work of our partner Afaq Jadeeda (New Horizons). Afaq Jadeeda once provided a sanctuary of healing in the Nuseirat Refugee Camp where it was based. After the camp’s total destruction from Israel’s invasion and bombing, the community was forced to flee to Rafah.

But even amid the genocide and the loss of their homes and headquarters, Afaq Jadeeda has not wavered in providing support to children. In the rubbles of Rafah, staff have made makeshift clown costumes — so the orphans of Gaza can express their emotions and experience moments of joy, even if briefly, amid the relentless violence.

With the Martín-Baró Initiative for Wellbeing and Human Rights , Grassroots International stands by Afaq Jadeeda, promoting healing justice and collective care. Learn more: https://grassrootsonline.org/learning_hub/video-six-months-genocide/

Thank you so much for hosting us in Côte d'Ivoire! We are so proud to accompany and stand with social movements across West Africa.

Solidarity, love, and liberation to you all.

Returning wealth can be reparative and healing, and can turn complicity into solidarity. In practicing solidarity, fortunately, there are highly organized and effective social movements whom we can turn to, composed of and led by frontline communities, who are paving the way toward transformative change.

While social movements have gained some recognition within philanthropy, many funders fail to truly understand their importance. Simply including these movements in existing portfolios for diversity and equity obligations isn’t enough.

What if we funded social movements like we wanted them to win? 🤜🤛

Our co-EDs, Chung-Wha Hong and Sara Mersha, explore how philanthropy can shift its approach to truly support these movements and fulfill its purpose.

Redefining philanthropy’s purpose and role by centering social movements This essay delves into the pivotal relationship between philanthropy and social movements, challenging traditional paradigms. Emphasizing the need for philanthropy to move beyond mere funding and engage in true allyship with movements, the authors envision a praxis of solidarity philanthropy rooted

“Their power is their machine guns. Our power is our spirituality.” — OFRANEH member

In November 2023, we had the honor of visiting our partners, Consejo Cívico de Organizaciones Populares e Indígenas de Honduras () and Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña (OFRANEH). We witnessed firsthand the incredible intersections of territory, culture, and healing, and the radical reclamation of Indigenous practices and lands.

From COPINH’s 30th anniversary celebration — a powerful Guancasco ceremony of peace and resilience — to OFRANEH’s land recuperation in Vallecito, the perseverance and spiritual strength of the Lenca and Garífuna peoples left a deep impact on us.

As we focus on healing and wellbeing for , these stories of collective care and resistance inspire us to envision a liberated world grounded in love for ourselves and our Earth. 🌍✨

Read the full blog to learn more about their journey and resilience. [Link in bio]

https://grassrootsonline.org/learning_hub/honduras-indigenous-cultural-resistance/

Just as the Nakba is ongoing, trauma is continuous in Palestine.

Today, we join people around the world in commemorating the Nakba. In 1948, Zionist militias expelled some 800,000 Palestinians (over 75 percent of the existing population) from their homes under threat of bombings, mass ex*****ons, and other forms of violence. Since October ‘23, the Israeli military has conducted unprecedented attacks against 2 million Palestinians, forcing most of them to flee again — even as many were already refugees from 1948.

May we stand together today and every day for a post-trauma reality in Palestine: one without genocide or oppression, and that lifts up life and our common humanity.

LEARN: grassrootsonline.org/liberate-spirit
TAKE ACTION: uscpr.org/protest
DONATE: grassrootsonline.org/Palestine

🌱 Last week, the CLIMA Fund (of which we are a member) highlighted compelling stories from grantee partners, shedding light on the remarkable efforts of youth-led climate justice movements. These initiatives are not only advancing solutions at the critical intersection of climate, racial, and economic justice, but they're also embodying the healing potential of collective action.

In our ongoing discourse on healing, it's important to acknowledge the impact of youth in rejuvenating our planet. Just as we address the emotional and psycho-social scars left by violence and disasters, we must embrace and celebrate the transformative influence of youth-driven climate activism. They are the catalysts for change, driving forward solutions that promise a sustainable and equitable future for generations to come. Let's continue to amplify their voices and support their efforts as we work towards a brighter, greener tomorrow. 🌍💚

The CLIMA Fund is a joint project of Grassroots International, Thousand Currents, Global Greengrants Fund, and Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism.

We live in a world where bombs shatter families in Gaza; where forests are sacrificed for profit in Brazil; where Indigenous peoples in Honduras face terror and murder. Across the planet, systems of violence and oppression leave trauma echoing in bodies, minds, and spirits.

As unfolds, we're diving deeper into stories that define healing justice and collective care. Through the Martín-Baró Initiative for Healing and Wellbeing and our decades long partnerships, we are accompanying movement healing circles, community mental health programs, and identity and consciousness-raising spaces.

Questions of how we are in relation to each other; the need for joy and love, care and repair, are more and more important for movements — but sometimes these don’t get the attention they need from funders.

In the weeks ahead, join us as we amplify these efforts, and reaffirm our commitment to healing justice. ✊

Learn more about what healing and wellbeing means to us:

Healing Minds, Bodies and Mother Earth | Grassroots International Bombs fall on families in Gaza. Swathes of lush forests are burned to make room for palm oil plantations in Brazil. Narco and police forces kidnap and murder Indigenous activists in Honduras. These are some of the countless traumas the planet and its people face every day. But in the face of trauma,...

Grassroots International is hiring! We're seeking someone with an analytical data-driven mind and a soul for human rights and social justice.

Experience in CRM and donor management software like Charity Engine, Salesforce, or EveryAction is preferred. A passion for grassroots movements defending land, territory, water, seeds, and the earth is a must.

Learn more about the opportunity: grassrootsonline.org/careers

Check out our website to learn more about the work we do alongside those struggling for human rights, territorial and food sovereignty, grassroots feminism and climate justice.

In a follow up to our previous post, take action for Onça Quilombo! grassrootsonline.org/onca

MOQUIBOM (Moquibom Maranhão), one of our partners in Brazil, has shared urgent and distressing news from an Afrodescendant quilombola community. Armed men attacked Onça Quilombo on the orders of a local rancher, but the police and other officials have done nothing response.

We're joining MOQUIBOM to demand security and justice for the families at Onça Quilombo — will you join our call? Please take 5 minutes and email state and federal officials via the action page.

Join us in celebrating our transformative partnership with La Via Campesina!

From the roots of resistance against corporate control, we've been honored to stand alongside LVC in championing food sovereignty worldwide. 🌍✊

Learn more about the evolution of LVC's work – from gender diversity and equality to youth leadership: https://grassrootsonline.org/learning_hub/via-campesina-8th-conference/

🌾 The upcoming struggle and the ongoing hunger crisis in Haiti and Palestine sheds light on the critical importance of food sovereignty.

Famine isn't a natural occurrence; it's engineered, with local and national food systems systematically dismantled. The signs are clear, urging swift action and solidarity.

Our mission at Grassroots International has always been rooted in embracing the global movement for food sovereignty. Since the early 1990s, peasant movements worldwide, united under Via Campesina, have challenged the dominance of multinational corporations over the global food system.

Over the years, the momentum of food sovereignty movements has grown, inspiring policy shifts and alternative food systems globally. As we approach the , let's stand in solidarity, reaffirming our commitment to food sovereignty and advocating for peasant rights.

Learn more about our partners and their impactful work: https://grassrootsonline.org/issues-areas-we-work-on/

We had the opportunity to speak with Inside Philanthropy to shed light on the critical situation unfolding in Gaza and Haiti. Amidst the devastating violence, hunger crises have emerged, demanding urgent attention and action.

Learn firsthand about Grassroots International's efforts alongside our dedicated partners in providing support to affected communities and what other funders can do to extend support.
Read the full article 👉

Funding in Haiti and Palestine Amid Devastating Conditions | Grassroots International In an interview in Inside Philanthropy, we shed light on the critical situations in Gaza and Haiti — and how philanthropy must respond.