El Paso Human Rights Convention Reignites A National Movement

The next national movement for equal rights is kicking off in El Paso this weekend. As part of the national Human Rights at Home campaign aimed at building a human rights movement, the Border Network for Human Rights has organized the El Paso Regional Human Rights Convention (EPRHRC). The meeting is scheduled for February 18. The convention will bring communities in West Texas and Southern New Mexico together to define what human rights means to border communities.

The gathering will take place at Mercado Mayapan at 2102 Myrtle Avenue in El Paso from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Events begin with a brief press conference in front of Mercado Mayapan from 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. At 9:30, the 500 convention attendees will march into the Mercado. Invited speakers and representatives from participating organizations (listed below) will give their remarks starting at 10. At 11 a.m., the event will be closed to the press.

The event will attempt to form a community agenda which is informed by local conditions but encompassing a national vision.

Organizations participating and/or sending delegates to the convention include:

• Annunciation House
• A.Y.U.D.A.
• Border Network for Human Rights
• Desert A.D.A.P.T.
• El Comite Justicia Laboral/The Labor Justice Committee
• El Paso Federation of Teachers
• La Mujer Obrera
• Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center
• Occupy El Paso
• Paso Del Norte Civil Rights Project
• The National Association of Social Worker

Organizations coming from outside of West Texas and Southern New Mexico:

• Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition
• Communities for Human Rights, a Texas-wide organization
• Dallas Peace Center
• DreamActivist Pennsylvania
• Juntos, Philadelphia
• Media Mobilizing Project, Pennsylvania
• Movimiento del Valle, Rio Grande Valley
• National Economic & Social Rights Initiative, based in New York
• One Love Movement, Philadelphia
• Poverty Initiative, New York
• Proyecto Inmigrante, Fort Worth, Texas
• United Workers, Baltimore
• Vermont Workers' Center

Speakers include:

• Texas State Sen. Jose Rodriguez
• El Paso Coutny Judge Veronica Escobar
• Las Cruces City Rep. Olga Pedroza
• Fr. Roy Bourgeois, of the School of Americas Watch

Information and Image Source: Border Network for Human Rights