World Food Day 2019 (Part 3): Collaborations, Chants and Blessings

While the emphasis of our World Food Day celebration was on local sourcing and sustainability (see Part 1 and Part 2), we also promoted the ability of our faith communities to collaborate and to work together to address local human needs.

Jessica Corley and Rachel Sternheim, Congregation Albert

Helping Central American Refugees
Jessica Corley of Congregation Albert spoke of the commitment by her congregation and Nahalat Shalom to support asylum seekers from Central America earlier this year.

The two Jewish congregations were part of a broad coalition of faith communities that supported the asylees. Others involved in this work were Catholic Charities, Lutheran Family Services, St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church and Albuquerque Interfaith. '

Even though the federal government has shut down the flow of asylum seekers, Jewish Asylum Seekers Initiative continues to support efforts at the border by providing shelters in Juarez, Mexico, with life sustaining food, supplies and financial support.

In addition to the threat of violence from criminal organizations and drug traffickers, many of the asylees were forced to leave their homeland because of the impact of climate change on their ability to survive."Smallscale producers and rural communities remain the most vulnerable to drought, an important socioeconomic phenomenon--given its effects on the loss of livelihoods, decapitalization of household economies, impoverishment and migration to overpopulated urban centres," the Food and Agriculture Organization said in a recent report.

America Burciaga

SNAP, Title I and Support for Public Schools
The formula used by Albuquerque Public Schools for counting Title I eligibility is unfair to schools with a large number of immigrants.

America Burciaga, a student at South Valley Academy, spoke about the appeal she made at an APS School Board meeting. APS uses SNAP eligibility as opposed to school lunch forms.

I am both sad and disappointed that my school is being treated unequally because we have undocumented students.  Title I is a federal program designed to help all students, not just those that were born in the United states.  Most parents at South Valley Academy, just like my own mom and dad, came from different countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and so many others, looking for a better future, for themselves as well as their children.

The reliance on SNAP for the APS forumla could create additional elegibility problems in the future if the federal administration follows through with its threats to remove more people (including legal immigrants) from the SNAP rolls.

"Last spring, [the federal administration] put out a proposal for new time restrictions on food assistance for adults. This summer their proposal took power away from the states and made it harder for hungry families to access the help they need. And now, they’re going after poor people once again, taking $4.5 billion out of SNAP benefits over the next five years," said Food Policy Action. "Congress debated – and rejected – each of these cuts when it passed a bipartisan farm bill in 2018. So they’re going after hungry people through regulations."

A Baha'i-Muslim Outreach
The Lighthouse of New Mexico mosque and the Albuquerque Baha’i community are working together to offer meals for homeless people in Albuquerque. The two communities first became acquainted at the 2018 World Food Day  at La Mesa Presbyterian Church.The joint effort provides 250 to 300 meals each Thursday.

A special byproduct of their collaboration  are the joint prayer gatherings held before the members for the two groups and other in the community go out with food sacks to distribute in Albuquerque's International District (still known by some by its previous name of "the war zone.")

According to Caroline Hess, members of the Albuquerque Baha'i Community meet on Wednesday evenings by preparing sandwiches and other items. Two other volunteers prepare other items, including cookies baked with nutritional ingredients like whey.

The effort, said Hess, has expanded beyond the Baha'i-Muslim community, as other groups like the Bosque Center for Spiritual Living have joined in the collaboration.

We come together as friends, as partners, and it has made a difference in doubling our output of food for homeless people, but also bringing two communities together in friendship with kindness and honor and respect. One of those special parts of our program before we go out into the street is a joint prayer. It's really a special thing.   Imam Abdur Rauf, The Lighthouse of New Mexico

One of the Baha'i community's principles is that service is prayer. It is the greatest prayer to God is to care for his trust. His trust are the poor.  -Caroline Hess, Albuquerque Baha'i Community

Prayers, Reflections, Chants and Blessings
Our World Food Day celebration included two Sikh reflections, prayers and chants and a Cherokee closing blessing.

Dr. G. Dave Singh


Manjeet Kuar


Beverly Wilkins

Rick Steves Addresses Structural Poverty, Climate-Smart Agriculture

I innovated a way for me to be a more ethical travel company by giving myself my own carbon tax...I'm creating a portfolio...What I want to do is empower development in the hungry world...to be able to develop in a way that would not be impactful in a negative way to climate change....  -Rick Steves, travel writer and television host

Rick Steves was a surprise guest speaker at the Bread for the World Lobby Day reception on June 11. Steves happened to be in Washington lobbying Congress on another topic, and by coincidence found himself on Capitol Hill on the same day that a few hundred Bread advocates were meeting with their members of the House and Senate to advocate for global nutrition initiatives.

So Steves, a very close friend and supporter of Bread for the World, came to our reception.  His presence was serendipitous because it gave him a chance to tell us more about the television special on hunger that he plans to release later this year, entitled Hunger and Hope: Lessons Learned from Ethiopia and Guatemala.

Ending Structural Poverty
"I went down there not to do a tour show on Ethiopia and Guatemala...We didn't even go to the famous places..We can use those countries as a classroom for why there is poverty," Steves told dozens of people gathered in the  It's structural. Bread for the World tackles the structural underpinnings of poverty and hunger."

As an example, Steves mentioned the global debt relief campaigns, that Bread and other organizations supported in 2000. "Bread for the World spearheaded this. We led the way in forgiving the debt of the more heavily indebted nations on this planet.  That's structural poverty. And we took away that bit of structural poverty."

Climate-Smart Agriculture
In his comments at the Lobby Day reception, Steves spoke of the need to take climate change seriously when creating development programs for poor countries. 

"I want to empower development in the hungry world, to be able to develop in a way that is less impactful in a negative way to climate change. There are a lot of desperate people in desperate countries,..so that just to live, they have to deforest,  they have to abuse their soil."

Steves spoke of the need to develop "climate-smart agriculture," which would allow people to produce food and at the same time not contribute so much to the carbon problem on the planet.

To this end, Steves has pledged $200,000 for Bread for the World to support climate-smart agriculture in the hungry world. He is raising these funds by giving himself a carbon tax applied every time he travels to Europe or other destinations to produce his popular programs. Steves outlines his commitment in an article on his website.

This video contains about six-plus minutes of Steves' comments at the Lobby Day reception.

Celebrate World Refugee Day in #ABQ

Relief Efforts for Victims of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala

Photo: Ahora Noticias

When Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupted on June 3, villages, coffee farms and a golf resort downslope were consumed in just minutes by a pyroclastic flow — a fast-moving mixture of hot gas and volcanic rock. When an eruption releases mixtures that are denser than air, it forms a toxic landslide, careening downhill at speeds between 30 and 90 miles per hour and temperatures up to 1,300 degrees.  Article in The New York Times

On Sunday, June 3rd, 2018, Volcán Fuego, near Guatemala City, erupted killing at least 99 people. San Lucas Tolimán (which is near the volcano)is safe and has not been affected, but please keep our brothers and sisters in Guatemala in your thoughts and prayers. Friends of San Lucas Tolimán

We are thinking about all those affected by this week's devastating eruption at Volcán de Fuego. The blast occurred about 70 miles away from the farmer groups we work with but only about 20 miles southeast of San Lucas Toliman, where Bill Harris will be volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in November...Volcanic ash could affect residents across the country, but most of the devastating debris and lava is affecting communities at the base of the volcano. Our thoughts are with those families and rescue workers on-site. Café Campesino

Suggested Donation Sites
Please consider donating through this GoFundMe page that was recommended by Geoffrey Hennies, webmaster, the webmaster for Café Campesino, who lives in Guatemala. The money is passed to Micoope, a local credit union/co-op that is organizing a fundraising effort in the country.

Other groups working on relief and donation efforts include the local Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services, the Miguel Vargas Association, the Rotary Club of Guatemala and additional entities listed on Go Fund Me's official relief page.

The following article was posted on the Café Campesino blog shortly before the disaster took place. We will send updates on our November trip to San Lucas Toliman as Habitat for Humanity works to determine the needs of Guatemalan communities.

A Lenten Celebration of Blessed Óscar Romero

The Friends of the Children of El Salvador (FOCES) invite the community of faith and conscience in Albuquerque to participate in a special event of prayer and reflection during this season of Lent. 

The gathering, which will take place at St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church, 300 Mildred Ave. NW (map),  6:30-8:30 p.m., will celebrate the upcoming canonization of Blessed Óscar Romero, whose life and death inspires us all. The local group L@s Otr@s will provide music. A simple soup supper will be served afterwards in the St Therese Parish Hall.

Advocating for Albuquerque to Sign the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact

We will work to develop sustainable food systems that are inclusive, resilient, safe and diverse. -The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (signed by 159 mayors around the world)

Local actions are critical to achieving the goal of eradicating hunger and malnutrition, guaranteeing more sustainable food systems which are also more resilient to the effects of climate change, and ensuring a healthy and nutritious diet for all. -Graziano da Silva, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization at Valencia meeting

Photo: Milan Urban Food Policy Pact website

On October 20, representatives from 159 cities gathered in Valencia, Spain, for the third mayor's meeting of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, an international protocol created on World Food Day 2015 to offer cities around the world an opportunity to work together on developing that are based on the principles of sustainability and social justice. (The concept was actually conceived in 2014, when the city of Milan in Italy joined with 40 other cities to consul and exchange views on how the pact would be constructed). The annual gatherings, which occur around World Food Day, provide the mayors and other city officials  an opportunity for signatory cities to exchange ideas and share their progress in meeting the goals of the pact.

A commitment from 159 Cities
Many of the cities that have signed the agreement are in Europe, but a few others are located in Latin America, Asia and Africa. The world's largest cities have subscribed to the agreement, including Rio de Janeiro, Paris, New York, Toronto, São Paulo, Moscow, Beijing, Brussels, Berlin, London, Rome, Mexico City, Seoul, Barcelona, Dubai and Chicago. Other large cities in the U.S. that have signed the pact include Baltimore, Miami, Pittsburgh and San Francisco.

In Latin America these cities have signed the agreement: Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa (Honduras), Quito (Ecuador), Córdoba (Argentina), Mar del Plata (Argentina), Mendoza (Argentina), La Paz (Bolivia), Belo Horizonte (Brazil), Garulhos (Brazil), and Bogotá (Colombia).

Albuquerque should consider subscribing to the agreement, especially with a coming change in administration.  A couple of US cities below 1 million population--Austin, Texas (population 947,000) and West Sacramento (population 53,000) are part of this family of 159 cities. In fact, a large number of smaller  cities around the world have made a commitment to address hunger and promote sustainability ahd fair trade through the pact. Some of these cities have a population smaller than our population of 560,00 in Albuquerque.They include, among others, Lyon in France (484,000), Utrecht in the Netherlands (334,000),Yeosu in South Korea (295,000), Sacile in Italy (19,000), Haapslau in Estonia (10,000) and  Navàs in Spain  6,000.

An Opportunity to Network
So what's in it for Albuquerque? The most obvious advantage would be the opportunity to network with other cities that have implemented food strategies and sustainable practices focused on food security, the fight against hunger and obesity, waste reduction, youth education and fair trade purchases.

The Milan Pact has also developed a Food Network Alliance, an effort to promote collaboration with different regional, national and international cities networks in order to foster the peer-to-peer exchanges. If Albuquerque were to join the agreement, our city could be connected with Austin and West Sacramento. The experiences of other U.S. cities like Pittsburgh, Baltimore and San Francisco might be useful.

And here's a thought. Albuquerque could join along with its sister cities of Guadalajara (Mexico), Chihuahua (Mexico), Alburquerque (Spain), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), Helmstedt (Germany), Hualien (Taiwan), Lanzhou (China) and Rehovot (Israel).

Joining the Urban Food Policy Pact would represent a major step for Albuquerque to address hunger and sustainability issues in our community. How about it, Mayor Tim Keller or Mayor Dan Lewis? Of course, joining the pact would have to gain the support of the City Councilors Brad Winter, Don Harris, Pat Davis, Diane Gibson, Trudy Jones, Ken Sanchez, Isaac Benton and the winner of the runoff between Cynthia Borrego and Robert Aragon. (Citizens of Albuquerque, don't forget to vote in the Runoff Election on November 14. Here are the poll locations for both early voting and the actual election dayfor the runoffs for mayor and City Council District 5).

Benefit Concerts in #ABQ for the Victims of Hurricane Maria

Friday, October 6, 7:00 PM
Second Presbyterian Church
812 Edith Blvd. NE, Albuquerque  (map)

Featuring violinist and Music Director Maestro Guillermo Figueroa, Jazz guitarist Marcos Cavalcante, pianist Dr. Mariano Morales, members of Los Pleneros de la 21, and other local artists performing a variety of musical styles. Free-will offering.

Saturday, October 7, 7:30 PM 
National Hispanic Cultural Center
1701 4th Street SW  Albuquerque (map)

Los Pleneros de la 21, an Afro-Puerto Rican bomba and plena ensemble, will perform at the NHCC. Buy Tickets: ($35, $32 w/ $3 discount for students & seniors and $5 discount for Outpost & NHCC members  Donations will be collected at the concert).

Wilkimedia Commons Image from poster by

Dwn1080

Sunday, October 15, 4:00 PM
Second Presbyterian Church
812 Edith Blvd. NE, Albuquerque (map)

Salsa bands in Albuquerque join to benefit the people of Puerto Rico. Featuring Terra Plena, Café Mocha, and DJ Pedro. Dancing, domino tournament, and Puerto Rican food for sale. Tickets at the door $20.00 per person.

Enjoy Pupusas in #ABQ and Help a Youth Project in El Salvador

“All we want are these masa-heavy treats smothered in the red salsa and pickiled cabbage.” Review on Yelp

Best place to get homemade pupusas I've been conning here since 5 years ago:) they are freaking awesome I would tell everyone to go give this place a try if you never gone.  Review on Facebook

The man waiting on us, I believe he is the owner, was very nice and helpful. We had never eaten Salvadoran food before so had some questions. We ordered a variety of pupusas. When our drink order came he brought us a special drink to try, he said it was made of marañon but couldn't explain what that was in English. A bit later he comes with his iPad and shows us a picture explaining what marañon is, it's the fruit that the cashew grows out of. I never knew cashews grew like that! All in all it was a great experience, the food was delicious and the man who waited on us was great! i will definitely be back for some more pupusas!  Review on Zomato

A pupusa is a thick corn tortilla stuffed with a savory filling, typically accompanied by curtido spicy coleslaw. According to the online site Recetas Salvadoreñas, the traditional recipe called for a filling of cheese and beans. Over the years, the recipe evolved to include other fillings like chicharrón, pork, chicken, green chiles and loroco (an edible flower found in El Salvador and Guatemala).

At Pupuseria y Restaurant Salvadoreño in Albuquerque, there is a wide choice of pupusa fillings. In addition to cheese, chicharrón, loroco and green chile, diners are given the choice of salami, pepperoni, calabacitas (squash), ground beef, ham and cheese, chicken, spinach, fish and other ingredients. 

Fundraiser for Safe House for Students in El Salvador
On Monday, July 17, you have the opportunity to sample some of the pupusa options and help the  Friends of the Children of El Salvador (FOCES) raise funds to furnish a new safe house residence for scholarship students attending college in San Salvador. The students come from poor families and need a place to stay while completing their studies in San Salvador.  Here is more information.

 FOCES provides provides financial support and encouragement to APRODENHI, the San Salvador-based Association for the Promotion of the Human Rights of the Children of El Salvador.

Monday's fundraiser will be held at Pupuseria y Restaurant Salvadoreño, 1701 Bridge SW (corner of Bridge and Goff).  See map  Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12. There will be two seatings for the fundraiser: one at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Or if you prefer, you can get your food to go (but you will miss fellowship with fellow supporters of FOCES and APROHENI and the music of Gabriel Fuentes).

Please let Donna Bruzzeze  (bruzzese.donna@gmail.com) know if you plan to purchase your tickets at the door and whether you will be coming to the 5:30 or the 6:30 seating. FOCES has also set up a Go Fund Me page if you would like to donate to the project directly.

Film Shows How Genetically Altered Corn Threatens Mexican Crop

Mexican corn is under threat from the influx of cheap genetically modified corn from the United States. The documentary SUNÚ reveals how corn and everything it gives life to could be lost forever, and shares a generous tapestry of simple, heartfelt messages for the farmers of the world and the city dwellers who could lose the capability to make important choices unless they act soon.

Seen through the eyes of small, midsize and large indigenous and independent Mexican corn producers, SUNÚ knits together a diverse variety of stories from a threatened rural world. This film documents how farmers work the land and cultivate their seeds while being true to their cultures and their forms of spirituality   The documentary has been nominated for several awards.   View Trailer  

Local Screenings
The documentary will be shown on Saturday, February 25, 12:30 p.m. at Center for Contemporary Arts, 1050 Old Pecos Trail, in Santa Fe (map) and on Sunday, February 26, 4:30 p.m. at the Guild Cinema in Albuquerque, 3405 Central Ave. NE (map)  Special guest at both screenings: Director Teresa Camou Guerrero. The Albuquerque screening is part of the Sin Fronteras 2017 Film Festival, sponsored by the Students of Latin American Studies at the University of New Mexico. The Sin Fronteras Festival is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Here is ticket information for the CCA in Santa Fe.

Legislative Initiatives to Support Refugee Children from Central American Countries

 "Tenemos un problema. Tenemos una crisis. Y si esta nación no despierta, la justicia nos juzgara junto con la historia. We have a problem. We have a crisis.  And if we do not respond, both justice and history will judge us." -Rev. Gabriel Salguero

A couple of days ago, we posted a video in which Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, offered his vision about ending hunger in 2030. At the Bread for the World National Gathering on June 9, 2014, Rev. Salguero gave a passionate reflection on immigration, placing a special emphasis on the situation of the children and youth who are coming across our southern border.

The flight of children and youth from the Northern Triangle countries (Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to the US is not difficult to understand: violence and poverty are largely behind the exodus.  "The problem is that when there's vast hunger in a region, the children are the canaries in the coal mine. The most who are disproportionately and immediately impacted are the children," Rev. Salguero said at that time. 

This report from the American Immigration Council tells us about complex circumstances behind the flight of tens of thousands of Guatemalan, Honduran and Salvadoran children and youth north of the border.

Humanitarian groups argue that more than half of the children and youth seeking asylum in the U.S. meet the standards that would allow then to qualify for international protection. And yet, the Immigration and Customs agency (ICE) is deporting a large number of these young Central Americans.

"In order to uphold international law and human rights standards, the U.S. must employ careful and lawful screening processes for children seeking asylum. Unfortunately, this is not the reality. Many of these children face trial without representation and a clear understanding of the asylum process," said  the Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN).

 There is a legislative proposal in the Senate and House intended to address the issue.  The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2016 (S. 2540/ H.R. 4646) would ensure that the children, youth and other vulnerable individuals have access to counsel, legal orientation programs, and post-release services  while they are in immigration court proceedings.

"As people of faith, we are called to strive for justice and peace, and Episcopal policy passed by General Convention calls on Episcopalians to advocate for a just system of asylum for persecuted persons," said the EPPN. "The Fair Day in Court for Kids Act would ensure justice for children who have been forced from their homes and are seeking safety and opportunity."

The EPPN urges you to contact your members of Congress today to tell them to support S.2540 and H.R.4646.

CWS Video: You Help Feed the World

Church World Service helps people eat in Latin America sustainably, by helping communities leverage their own resources. Video published on June 30, 2016

Church World Service Campaign Seeks to Help Residents of Gran Chaco Region in South America

This  short video from Church World Service, published on May 25, 2016, highlights individuals from the Gran Chaco region of South America, and asks how we can be better neighbors.

Gran Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semi-arid lowland natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. The name is of Quechua origin, meaning “Hunting Land.”

In just two decades, area families have lost more than half of their land to non-indigenous settlers. Without land rights, these communities not allowed to farm or work the land for food. And their water sources are inconsistent. Because of this, CWS has launched a campaign to help area residentsregain land rights, attain access to clean water and create stable food sources for families. Learn more about how you can help

A Benefit to Support Maternal Health and Nutrition Project in Guatemala

The Garden's Edge, an organization that has roots in New Mexico and Guatemala, invites you to La Cuarentena -40 Days to Bring Light, to support its maternal health and well-being project in Guatemala. The project is part of the organization's overall efforts to promote sustainable agriculture, micro-enterprise and well-being in rural communities in Guatemala. The benefit will be held on Saturday, June 18, at The Cell Theater, 708 1st Street NW (map), 4:00-6:00 p.m.  Please RSVP to Sarah Montgomery (sarah@gardensedge.org)  (See flyer below).

The Garden's Edge nutrition team will set up a demonstration of how health assessments in the villages are conducted in the villages. The program will also feature healthy snacks from its Guatemala project and a small ceremony to bless children based on Maya tradition. "We will combine this ceremony with the idea of a Global Baby Shower to honor the babies we work with in Guatemala as well any special children in your own lives," said Sarah Montgomery, the founder of this project, and one of the hosts of the event. 

"We invite all of our guests who are interested to bring photos of their children, grandchildren, adult children, and families to receive a blessing at the ceremony," said Montgomery.

"This maternal and child health project has really touched my heart because, like many of you, I have seen first-hand -through my work in Latin America - the great scope of the needs for maternal-child education and healthcare there," said Michelle Radden-Vogler, a co-host of the benefit.

The Garden's Edge, which seeks to promote cultural preservation, is a partner with the Guatemalan organization Qachuu Aloom - Asociación Madre Tierra, an micro-development regional organization that was founded in 2000. The group promotes a broad-based community model that focuses on preservation of traditional agriculture and native seeds.

Responding to the Earthquake in Ecuador

Map from Charity Navigator

The number of confirmed fatalities from last weekend’s magnitude-7.8 earthquake on Ecuador’s northern Pacific coast stands at 443, Defense Minister Ricardo Patiño said Tuesday. “We are certain that that figure will continue rising,” he said. “We will surely find more bodies.” More than 4,000 other people were injured in the temblor and 231 individuals are listed as missing, the defense chief said.   -Latin American Herald Tribune

Donate to Catholic Relief Services  UNICEF   CARE   Cruz Roja Ecuatoriana  American Red Cross  Samaritan's Purse

Read article in The Huffington Post on how funds will be used

Centenares de jóvenes ayudan a @CRUZROJAZUAY realizando kits para #AyudaHumanitaria #Sismo #Terremoto #Ecuador pic.twitter.com/fdPyvXzIVj

— CRUZ ROJA ECUADOR (@cruzrojaecuador) April 20, 2016

Here is a prayer from Catholic Relief Services for all of those affected by the earthquake in Ecuador.  Download the prayer from the CRS website.  Descargue oración por todos los afectados por el terremoto en Ecuador 

Measuring Food Insecurity among Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylees

"While they earn more money in the United States than in their home countries, unauthorized immigrants suffer disproportionately from food insecurity and poverty once they arrive. While legal immigrants, refugees, and guest workers all face challenges, no group of immigrants is more harmed by hunger and poverty than those without documentation."  from Immigration, Hunger and Opportunity, Bread for the World Institute and Bread for the World

How do you measure food insecurity among immigrants, refugees and people seeking asylum in the United States? Each of these groups faces a different set of circumstances. Yet, they have something in common. They came to our country to improve their circumstances or to escape from an unbearable situation. Agencies like Catholic Charities and Lutheran Family Services provide a support system for refugees and asylees, although this does not necessarily solve their hunger problems.

Photo: Bread for the World (Laura Pohl)

The situation for immigrants varies, depending on their region of origin and their legal status. A report published a couple of years ago by the Bread for the World Institute and Bread for the World, entitled Immigration, Hunger and Opportunity,  points out that most immigrants to the United States have come from Latin America. This is particularly true for unauthorized immigration. More than 80 percent of all unauthorized immigrants to the United States come from Latin America, with 60 percent coming from Mexico. 

The biggest challenge is for undocumented immigrants. "While they earn more money in the United States than in their home countries, unauthorized immigrants suffer disproportionately from food insecurity and poverty once they arrive. While legal immigrants, refugees, and guest workers all face challenges, no group of immigrants is more harmed by hunger and poverty than those without documentation," said the report. Here is the link to the report (in PDF format)

The video above tells the story of one immigrant, which is one of a set of videos on hunger an immigration that Bread for the World produced in recent years.

Data Collected from Several Small Studies

Photo: Food Research and Action Center

A more recent report from the Food Research and Action Center and Children's HealthWatch points out that no data is collected at the national level focused on food insecurity among immigrants and refugees. However, the report--entitled Food Insecurity among Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylees --cites several small studies that examined hunger among immigrants and refugees who have come to our country from various parts of the world.

"In these studies, estimates of food insecurity vary greatly, depending on the population focus, with most estimates ranging between 30 and 60 percent, though rates as high as 80 percent have been documented among some vulnerable farmworkers in the southwest U.S.," said the report.

"It is also important to note that some studies identify participants as foreign-born without indicating whether they are refugees or asylees. This makes it challenging to estimate food insecurity among these similar, but different, groups."

Here are some highlights from the report

• Research conducted by Children’s HealthWatch demonstrates high rates of food insecurity among foreign-born households with children in its five research sites, a particularly vulnerable group. For example, in a study of Mexican, Central American, and Caribbean mothers compared to U.S.-born mothers, rates of household food insecurity among foreign-born mothers were significantly higher – 46 percent for families with Mexican mothers, 30 percent for Central American mothers, and 31 percent for Caribbean mothers, compared to 16 percent for families with U.S.-born mothers.
• Rates of child food insecurity were notably different among four groups --- 34 percent among families with Mexican mothers, 19 percent for those with Central American mothers, and 18 percent for those with Caribbean mothers, compared to 6 percent among families with U.S.-born mothers.
• Similarly, in a large study of 44,919 mothers with young children, 23.7 percent of the foreign-born mothers reported some level of food insecurity compared to just 12.7 percent of U.S.-born mothers. In this study, among young children with foreign-born mothers, the odds of food insecurity were more than three times as great as compared to young children with U.S.-born mothers.

Advocacy Solutions

"In addition to improving employment and income, connecting immigrant and refugee families to public nutrition assistance programs and private emergency food assistance is an important way to reduce food insecurity among this population," said the FRAC/Children's HealthWatch report. "In particular, rates of participation in WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) among foreign-born families are high since generally there are no immigration-related eligibility requirements with WIC. The same cannot be said for SNAP, though research has demonstrated the value of food assistance for all Americans."

"Because a substantial percentage of undocumented immigrants in the United States lives in poverty and because legalization would help them escape hunger, immigration reform fits [our domestic agenda], said Bread for the World. "We advocate for legislation that ensures a place at the table for everyone in the United States, regardless of legal status. And we anticipate that hundreds of thousands of people would be lifted out of hunger and poverty almost immediately if they are given a pathway to citizenship."

"Immigration reform also fits Bread’s international agenda. We add specific value to the immigration reform discussion by focusing on its root causes: hunger and poverty in home countries. Our longstanding advocacy for poverty-focused development assistance is one way that we help moderate the flow of immigrants to the United States," added Bread for the World.

The New Mexico Faith Coalition on Immigrant Justice

Archbishop John Wester of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe has scheduled an immigration symposium at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Wednesday (tomorrow) evening.  The audience will almost certainly include members of the New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice,.

The Circo for the Community fundraiser on Saturday, March 5, benefited the NMFCIJ as well as New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light, the New Mexico Conference of Churches, La Mesa Arts Academy and the Albuquerque Aerialist Collective. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased on the NMCC site or at the door (you can write a check for any of these organizations). The cost of the ticket includes dinner and a reception.

Archbishop John Wester to Host Immigration Symposium on Feb. 24

Symposium On Immigration Hosted By Archbishop John Wester

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe has announced the following event to be hosted by Most Rev. John C. Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe: Crossing Borders: A Symposium On Immigration. 

This event will be held on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 from 6:00pm to 8:30pm Our Lady Of Guadalupe Parish 1860 Griegos Road NW Albuquerque, NM 87107  (map)

Archbishop Wester will deliver a keynote address, followed by personal testimonies from immigrants and a panel response from representatives of the Diocesan Office of Social Justice and Respect Life, Diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry, Catholic Charities of New Mexico, and the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The event will include personal testimony, panel response and discussion with Q&A. Please RSVP by contacting Maria Garcia at 505-831-8151 and let her know how many people are attending from your group.  This event is free

Building a World Garden in Your Back (or Front) Yard

During a recent trip to Haiti, members of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, N.C., discovered that many families in the Caribbean country grow 40% of the food they consume in their home gardens using whatever resources are available to them. The Haiti gardens are supported by Famers Movement of Papaye (MPP), a grassroots organization of 20 farming cooperatives located throughout Haiti, and Mark Hare and Jenny, mission workers of the Presbyterian Church USA.

The trip inspired the members of the church to recreate this World Garden in their own front yards back home. In this video, the children of Grace Presbyterian Church explain how the World Garden works.

Oxfam Advocates for Land Rights in Paraguayan Community

Photo: Revista Superficie

As religious leaders and members of faith-based communities in the United States, we are writing due to our interest in the well-being of those living in poverty around the world, most of whom live in rural areas, in this regard the situation of the families in Curuguaty has come to our attention, and the purpose of this letter is to express our concern regarding the losses they have suffered and our hope that the land dispute affecting them, which involved the territory of Marina Kue, can promptly and justly be resolved.   -Excerpt of letter from religious leaders in the U.S. to President Horacio Cartes of Paraguay

So why would the president of Paraguay listen to a group of religious leaders (pastors and lay members) in the United States about a land conflict in the mostly poor South American country? "Paraguayan organizers have specifically requested a letter of support from US Catholic and other faith leaders," said Oxfam America, which is leading this campaign. The organization put together the letter demanding that the Paraguayan government give the farming families of Curuguaty the land they need. Tens of thousands of people in the U.S. and around the world have signed this appeal to the Paraguayan government. See full letter

Photo Revista Superficie

There is no word on how the Cartes administration reacted to the letter, which was sent to coincide with a June trial against the farming community. Oxfam has put together information about the issue.  Here are briefing papers from Oxfam America (Land Human Rights in Paraguay) and Oxfam International (With no land to cultivate, young people in Curuguaty, Paraguay, have no future.

"The trial against the campesinos who are currently in custody has come under question by several nongovernmental organizations in Paraguay and overseas," said Revista Superficie, an online news site published by journalists, editors and photographers who cover issues of social justice in Latin America.

According to the magazine, the UN and Amnesty International have demanded publicly that  the Paraguayan government launch an investigation into the deaths that occurred during a crackdown on protestors, adding support to Paraguayan organizations that have made the same request. Read full article in Spanish from Revista Superficie.

La Montañita Cooperative to Observe Silver Anniversary of Earth Day in Nob Hill

Ecuadoran visitors celebrate Inti Raymi at UNM

As Earth Day 2015 approaches, I reflect on one of the songs I heard last night  in the repertoire of the Albuquerque-based Baracutanga band. The piece, entitled Sangra Pachamama, urged us to protect Mother Earth (Pachamama) against the ongoing environmental violence that we have inflicted upon her.

Pachamama has been a central figure in the Aymara and Quechua cultures of the Andes, and her name is now invoked in efforts to protect the Amazon Forest.  In the winter (summer in the Northern Hemisphere), the peoples of the Andes hold the Inti Raymi celebration to honor Mother Earth and the Sun.

Baracutanga's  music of celebration  makes all listeners want to dance. That was the case in their appearance at The Outpost  Performance Space last night. And the good news is that this band is one of the featured performers in La Montañita Cooperative's annual Earth Day celebration in Nob Hill on Sunday, April 19. The group plays Brazilian sambas and batucada, Colombian cumbias, Afro-Peruvian festejos and landos,South American fusion music and much more. Check out this video of their performance of  "Rumba de Burque."

Along with Baracutanga, several other local musical and dance groups are performing at the Earth Day  event on Sunday. Here is the lineup:

10 am: Ehecatl Aztec Dancers
11 am: Adobe Brothers
12 pm: Alma Flamenca
1 pm: Jeeze Laweez
2 pm: Baile Baile Dance Company
2:30 pm: Adama African Dancers and Drummers
3 pm: Soul Kitchen
4 pm: Band Width No Name
5 pm: Baracutanga

Photo: La Montañita Cooperative

Nob Hill Event
This year represents a milestone for the Earth Day event, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. As usual, a few blocks of Silver St. just behind the cooperative will be closed to traffic. Dozens of organizations that care about the environment and its inhabitants (people, flora and fauna) will set up displays. And of course, all sorts of delicious organic food will be available for sale. Read  more about the event in La Montañita Cooperative's website.

While the event is a festival and a celebration, it offers a sober reminder of how a steady warming of the global climate has put our global community at risk in a very significant manner. "Recent unusual weather patterns, not only here in New Mexico when we had three weeks of spring in February ending with the 9th biggest snow fall on record, are an undeniable reminder of the work we have do to restore and sustain our little planet," said Robyn Seydel, one of the organizers of the event.

Still, Sunday is also a day for commitments. "We firmly believe that with the same cooperative spirit that for 40 years enabled the Co-op to thrive and become the community hub for a sustainable future it has become, we can and will overcome the challenges we face," said Seydel.