We're grateful to be running a series of Gender Justice and Feminism workshops at The Young Women's Leadership School of East Harlem with the wonderful L.O.V.E. mentorship program. It's a pleasure to work with such engaged young women! Please be sure to check out L.O.V.E.'s website.
"The L.O.V.E. Mentoring Program aims to increase high school graduation rates, college enrollment, and healthy lifestyles among young Latinas with the support of positive role models who believe in their inner power and are committed to help them achieve their full potential."

Honestly, we´re sick and tired on how the American idea of political discussion is talking about Hamilton, Starbucks or SNL (we can guarantee this isn’t like this in other countries.) Let's get real: there's probably a 97% chance Trump will be hosting SNL within the next few months, please let's not even pretend there is a debate on satire.
These dumb feuds/weapons of mass distraction are exactly what will allow a new administration to push a neo-fascist agenda. Please TRY to separate politics from entertainment. At least while we are all trying to fix this. Let's turn off the reality show and discuss real news, here are some of the most urgent issues (there are many many more but these seem to get less media attention):

1. What is happening and will happen in Syria. Over 300 people died between last Tuesday and yesterday after the regime resumed bombing eastern Aleppo. The attacks included a children’s hospital. The next administration is appointing pro-war advisors. What will that mean for humanity?
2. Dakota Access Pipeline: there is a violent, militarized response to protesters. Protesters are being met by armored vehicles, attacked by dogs, water-canons in below-freezing temperatures, rubber bullets (seen the footage where they shot a documentarian in the back while absolutely nothing was going on?) A woman’s arm was destroyed two days ago by one of the many percussion grenades used (it looks like they’ll need to amputate – this is some person from NY that went to protest a pipeline and the State apparently has blown off her arm). It’s so bad Amnesty International have been there as observers for weeks. Native American people being bitten by dogs, arrested and numbers reportedly written on their arm. Sound familiar?
   In North Dakota. Unbelievable.
3. Racial justice by the increase of police brutality, incarceration, ICE agents and the militarization of the police.
4. Anti-immigration and measures reminiscent of ethnic cleansing that may be implemented, such as registries and other policies.

​Las Marías cannot engage in partisan politics, but we believe it´s safe to say that the statements and policies that the United States´ president-elect has put forth make us even more  concerned about the future of the world than we were on Nov. 8th. We will work on providing materials to help those that wish to engage the system to try to improve safety for minorities and to uphold civic rights. For now we wanted to share something posted on Facebook by our friend Benedict Kupstas. He provides some resources on the individuals that the president-elect is putting in key positions and notes some ways to make your voice heard on this subject. 

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What can we do?

1) Sign this petition by the the Southern Poverty Law Center to stop Bannon.

2) Call your representatives and key members of Congress:

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan: (202) 225-3031
Majority Leader McConnell: (202) 224-2541
Kevin McCarthy: (202) 225-2915
Nancy Pelosi: (202) 225-4965
Mitch McConnell: (202) 224-2541
Harry Reid: (202) 224-3542
Bernie Sanders: (202) 224-5141
Kristen Gillibrand: (202) 224-4451 
Chuck Schumer: (202) 224-6542

Contact Republicans who have spoken out against the president-elect and urge them to continue standing up to him.

New York State Representatives Contact Info.

Pennsylvania State Representatives Contact Info.

Find more phone numbers here.

3) Call out the media when they report the Bannon appointment as a straight news story or refer to him as a "Breitbart executive" or a "provocateur," but don't call him what he is: a white supremacist, anti-semite, misogynist. Don't let them normalize.

4) Gently applaud and share (because positive reinforcement is as important as negative, right?) when politicians, organizations, and journalists do their jobs and call out disgusting men like Bannon and Guiliani for what they are, including Senator Harry Reid, Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Nancy Pelosi, The New York Times, Shaun King, Southern Poverty Law Center, etc.
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Resources provided by Benedict [text edited]:

Steve Bannon new chief White House strategist and senior counsel
On his white supremacist rhetoric  this NYT piece.

Rudy Giuliani likely appointment for Secretary of State
On conflicts of interest.
On "alarmingly authoritarian proclivities".
On "a tendency to spew what the New York Times called a 'trademark brew of poisonous disinformation'.

Myron Ebell selected to lead the transition at the Environmental Protection Agency
On climate change denial and other issues. 
On his opposition to Paris Agreement and wanting to reduce protections of endangered species.

TALLER EN ESPAÑOL: Esta tarde a las 6:30 en The Door- A Center for Alternatives (Soho, Manhattan): Taller gratuito de Las Marías: introducción al feminismo y justicia de género. 
Si quieren unirse, envíenos un mensaje.

​The NYT published a piece today on the first resettlement of "American Climate Refugees". A $48 million government grant is being allocated to move an entire community in Louisiana. This obviously is overwhelmingly affecting lower-income families. But taking a look at the subjects interviewed in this article leads to thinking about gender and climate impact.

Last year VICE had an interesting piece essentially collecting study info. Studies show that climate change impacts women disproportionately. For example, as they tend to be the caretakers of children and the elderly they generally leave last when there's a disaster and are more likely to be killed. Another example is that "women are also largely responsible for tasks that may become more difficult in a warmer world. In 63 percent of households in rural sub-Saharan Africa, for example, women must collect and carry the family's water, according to a 2010 UN report. In only 11 percent of households does this job fall to men."
 
This is just your daily reminder that all struggles are connected!

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​El New York Times (en inglés)  publicó un artículo hoy sobre el primer reasentamiento de “refugiados climáticos americanos”. Una beca del gobierno de $48 millones se va a asignar a mover una comunidad entera en el estado de Louisiana. Este problema obviamente afecta principalmente a familias con pocos ingresos. Pero si miramos a las personas entrevistadas en este artículo, es inevitable pensar un poco en género y el impacto del cambio climático.

El año pasado VICE (en inglés) publicó algo básicamente  juntando información de varios estudios. Estos demuestran que el cambio climático impacta desproporcionadamente a las mujeres. Por ejemplo, como suelen ser las que cuidan a jóvenes y a los-las más mayores, generalmente son las ultimas en irse cuando llega un desastre y por lo tanto es más probable que mueran que los hombres. Otro ejemplo es que “las mujeres también son en gran parte responsables de tareas que se volverán difíciles en un mundo de altas temperaturas. En el África subsahariano rural, por ejemplo, en un 63 por ciento de los hogares son las mujeres las que recolectan y cargan con el agua del hogar, según un informe de la ONU del 2010. Únicamente en un 11 por ciento de los hogares son los hombres los que llevan a cabo esta tarea.”
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¡Este es solo el recordatorio diario de que todas las luchas están conectadas!

Check out Las Marías on:

We're psyched about our new partnership with Youth Action Programs & Homes, Inc. in West Harlem, also known as Youth Action YouthBuild. They're affiliates of YouthBuild U.S.A. (Americorps).
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We have three workshops scheduled for May (female-identifying and mixed-gender.) and we're happy to collaborate with such a great group. Take a gander over to their site to check out the amazing work they do.

Las Marías is holding 2 sessions on Introduction to Feminism at Loisaida Inc. It is FREE and open to everyone, please join!
Please add yourself to the FB event or Eventbrite.

https://www.facebook.com/events/775280995942118/

 http://www.eventbrite.com/e/feminism-101-group-discussion-workshop-tickets-21541679744?ref=ebtn

2 Sessions – 1pm-3pm, Two Saturdays, February 27 and March 5, 2016
FREE, mixed gender, transgenerational (ages 15+), bilingual friendly

​NOVEMBER 2015

“Introduction to Feminism Workshop (GROUP DISCUSSION)" Las Marías Workshop.
Dates: Monday Nov. 23, Nov 30, and Dec 7, 2015 . @ 6pm-7:30pm.
Location: El Puente Taylor-Wythe Leadership Center.
 
Did you anyone ever tell you to "act like a lady" or "be a man"? Has anyone ever expected you can't do something simply because of your gender? Have you ever noticed how girls are often picked on because of their looks?
Sometimes we are treated unfairly because of our gender. Feminism is about defending equality for girls and boys. Learning about feminism will help you be more fair to women, respect others, and feel great about yourself!
In our workshops we will learn about feminist thinking, talk about our own experiences and think of ways in which we can advocate for gender justice. Girls, boys, and anyone interested is welcome to join! Snacks will be served.

Questions? Email us at hellolasmarias@gmail.com

Las Marias is proud to announce that
​our fiscal sponsor is Cine Qua Non. 

Cine Qua Non notes it has "received funding from the NEH, various State Arts and Humanities Councils, [...] The Ford Foundation, The Macarthur Foundation, The Hewlett Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, The Packard Foundation, [and] dozens of smaller organizations."

Here's to a great partnership!