“WE MUST UNDERTAKE THE STRUGGLE IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD, WHEREVER WE MAY BE, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO OTHER SPARE OR REPLACEMENT PLANET. WE HAVE ONLY THIS ONE, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION.”
~ BERTA CÁCERES ~
welcome, well come to day 32 of a season of peace and the 2nd day of women’s herstory month in a moonth i’m naming magi- cal with emphasis intended on the magi, the wise, syllables of magical as we shine a spotlight on the women magicians who inspire changes in consciousness as they create, co-create the even more beautiful world, the ecological civilization…
i had intended on beginning with one of my favorite magicians – Harriette Tubman and then it was going to be Billie Holliday until i real-eyesed it was the fifth anniversary of Berta’s murder and knew she’d be leading the way…
co-founding the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) created to defend the Lenca community – one of Honduras’ largest indigenous groups – against corporate takeover of their land and natural resources, and to protect their culture and the environment, Cáceres was tireless in her efforts for her land and community… since their founding in 1993, COPINH has stopped nearly 50 logging and deforestation projects, plans for 10 hydroelectric dams and with other indigenous organizations successfully lobbied the Honduran government to ratify ILO Convention 169 on the Rights of Indigenous People, and also succeeded in gaining funding from the government for health centers and schools in Lenca communities…
today, as we mark 5 years since Berta’s assassination, we honor and remember her and her extraordinary life and legacy… Berta was someone who refused to be silent, who refused to cede or go into exile despite the violence she was up against… clear about the causes of the injustices of the world, she did not hesitate to name those responsible… her ability to explain and relate complex global phenomena to everyday realities made her an exceptional leader; the dignity with which she treated every person she met made her a phenomenal organizer who made the connections between struggles seem obvious and imparted wisdom as she energized those who listened…
Berta Cáceres, Presente! and Muchas Gracias!!
