>Plan Mayachen
>Centro Mayapan
>Center for Bilingual Development and Social Enterprise (CBDSE)

>>>Women Forging Our Future
>>> Call for Support to Politcal Officials
>>>HOW YOU CAN HELP
>>>PRESS RELEASES
>>> Articles of Interest
>>>SOLIDARITY FOR HUNGER STRIKE
>>>CAMPAMENTO PRO DIGNIDAD DE LA MUJER TRABAJADORA
>>> ¡Crisis en la Frontera!
>>> Testimony of Women Strikers
>>> Support Letters

Hunger Strike Participants Testimonials:

Lourdes Pérez
My name is Lourdes Perez. I am an immigrant. I arrived in this country with the dream of a better life. I studied preschool education with the hope that I would be able to practice my profession. My husband also studied education and is a teacher as well. We knew we had the potential to practice here but the doors were closed, obstacles placed by bureaucracies, to prevent my advancement. I found work cleaning offices, hospitals and taking care of the elderly and the disabled. While this was not denigrating work, it did not allow for economic and other development. My husband also began to work in factories with 12-hour shifts and changing schedules. I knew that English was a factor so I began to take English classes which is one of the requirements for advancement. But even then you are faced with obstacles. I believe it is discrimination against immigrants. My husband was displaced by NAFTA, we are a family that suffers the consequences of this monster, that drowns you in poverty more and more with each passing day.

That is why I am in this Campamento and Hunger Strike, as a protest to the injustices of this government and NAFTA's false promises. Enough! We are not willing to tolerate and accept this. That is why we are willing to break the cycle of poverty. This is only the beginning of our struggle to accomplish our objective.

Ramona Esparza
I worked at Union for 33 years and in 1994 I was displaced by NAFTA. That year the most terrible unemployment wrought havoc for thousands upon thousands of workers because manufacturing was one of the biggest employers for Juarez and El Paso. All of the workers, women and men, were wandering throughout El Paso looking for new employment. But it was impossible because despite having 33 years of experience in sewing, the factories, the employers, no longer existed. One by one they left to other countries because of NAFTA.

NAFTA caused innumerable problems for this community and it continues to be a disaster for workers. I have been with La Mujer Obrera for 20 years fighting for a better future for the women and families of El Paso. I participate in all of the events and projects of La Mujer Obrera.

Flor Carmona
I am a student at UTEP and I am a resident of the South Central Barrio. I have deep roots in my community and my culture which is why I am trying to promote a positive cultural identity amongst the community. I am participating in this hunger strike because I am tired that neither my community nor the women workers are the city's priority. After the South Central barrio in El Paso stopped contributing to the economy as a result of the factory closings caused by NAFTA, the city has turned its back on the neighborhood. I am also doing this because we are not part of the city's economic plans. We also need jobs and the resources to reconstruct our barrio. As a member of this community you get a first hand look at what the needs of the community are. I notice the difference in attention regarding this part of town in comparison to others. By doing this I hope to get the city's attention to say that I am tired of the discrimination against my community and workers. Above all to say that we need the resources to develop our own economic plans that will include us women and the community. Drastic times call for drastic measures.

Maria Yolanda Mancinas
My name is Maria Yolanda Mancinas. I was born January 9, 1952 in El Paso, TX and although I was born in the United States I consider myself a Mexican woman. I was raised in Ciudad Juarez where I attended school until secondary school and I attended the Technological Institute where I studied to be a secretary but because of family problems, I did not graduate and things were left unfinished.

After some time I was married and had six children which is why I began to work in a garment factory called Hicks Ponder in 1971 while I still lived in Juarez. Later the factory changed its name to Blue Bell. Again it changed its name to Wrangler Jeans and finally VF Jeanswear and so I worked in the same factory for 33 years until finally because of NAFTA the factory left El Paso and more than 1,300 were left unemployed this was 2004.

And so after 33 years of having worked in a factory I did not know any other job and had limited English. Then I decided to go to school with the option of learning more English and finish a course to be an Office Assistant, I already had my GED. After 18 months I did receive my certificate but as I looked for work in this area I did not have enough English and had no experience. So I could not find work even though we were told that we would find work immediately.

It was then that La Mujer Oberera opened its doors giving me employment as office assistant, I also have the opportunity to work in Café Mayapán where I have learned about food management and we are in the process of planning Centro Mayapán, which will benefit our community in order to generate jobs and a better standard of living for our families.

Lina Arroyo
I am a worker displaced by NAFTA and I live in the south central El Paso community. I am a woman who has worked for 30 years and I am fighting for a better future that is why I am in this struggle. La Mujer Obrera gave me the opportunity for development even though I do not speak English and I am doing this for the future of my grandchildren.
Irma Montoya

I was displaced worker beginning in 1995 with the closing of the factory Robert Shaw where I worked. As a result, for many years I endured all types of discrimination not only because I didn't speak English, but also because I am a woman, a Mexican immigrant, and of a mature age.

In the 12 years since I first learned of the organization and I began volunteering, I have had the opportunity to build my skills in various areas and to develop my leadership. My first job was as a receptionist for the organization but then I learned about the food industry and became the founding manager of our restaurant Café Mayapán. Later I became the founder of the restaurant's special events program.

In this way, I came to be the executive director, a position I have held for the past years, of this organization that believed in me and helped me build my skills as a leader and advocate for the rights of women and workers in our community.

For all these reasons, I am seeking your support and alliance in the development of Plan Mayachen, whose underlying roots are based on the principles of economic, social and personal development. We truly appreciate the opportunity to create this alliance in the commitment to continuing to work for economic development ad education in order to transform the conditions of the Mexican immigrant workers in this city of El Paso.

Hilda Villegas
I am a resident of the south central area. I graduated from Bowie High School and have worked to support my three daughters with out the support of their father. The lack of jobs and needs of my family have forced me to work in whatever was available. I have been through almost all of the training programs established by the state. Nevertheless I have not been able to obtain a good job. The lack of necessary structures for the training of women is the reason why I am here and I believe in Plan Mayachen because it is the only plan that really promotes women's development.

Anayanse Garza
My name is Anayanse Garza. I am a resident of the Central South District. My family is of Mexican inheritance and I consider myself Mexican because I am proud of my history and heritage. Although I have my diploma and although I won a scholarship to go to a good and prestigious school. I could not finish due to the lack of resources and aid for low income students. The situation became more difficult and I left the school after my second year although I was obtaining good qualifications.

Since then just like thousands of other women I have worked in factories, restaurants, call centers. One of my jobs laid us off because the call center moved to a place where the wage of seven women equal one of our wages. They told us that if we did not produce more they would have to move. They dismissed to us from one day to the next. These are the jobs that they want to bring to El Paso by giving millions to multi national corporations. They are jobs that neither develop women nor to our community, nothing more than factories with new technology and air conditioning.

My mother was displaced due to NAFTA on account that they took the factory to Tijuana . They offered her a job training women in Tijuana but they said to that they were going to pay in one week what she made in one in EU. There still exists much discrimination against the Mexican woman although we speak English or not. Opportunities for women of Mexican heritage does not exist, and the jobs offered to us we are treated like slaves. They counted every minute of rest and never offered opportunities to develop women. The educational system and of work at local, state and federal level is not adapted to deal with the extreme poverty in which we were the women and our families of Mexican inheritance in the border. It is already enough whereupon they give programs us that maintain us to the margin and under the poverty. We deserve but the women by all the work and wealth that we have left for all world and the Mayachen Plan are a plan that can take to that development this district to us and to serve like a national example. She is worth the trouble to do all the possible one to obtain attention to this crisis and discrimination.

Ana Arreola
I worked in the American Garment factory for 8 years. I discovered that I no longer had a job through a letter that was sent to me two days before I was laid off (I had had an operation and was alerted of my firing during this time). I had to go to the factory 5 days after this or I would not receive my final check. NAFTA destabilized me economically and emotionally because they left us on the street after so many years of commitment, dedication, and hard work.