The August 2018 episode of “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” informs us about an interesting and inspiring community in Guatemala where refugees from the previous dictatorship have settled into a new community. These people are empowering themselves at the grassroots to meet their needs for education, clean water, social justice and democracy.
About 300-400 people live in Nuevo Amanecer, the Spanish words for “New Dawn.” The community was founded in 1998 by refugees who had fled the genocide and “scorched-earth” campaign of the 1980s and 1990s. The U.S. funded and trained Guatemala’s brutal military to commit those crimes.
Now the “New Dawn” community of Nuevo Amanecer is making bold grassroots progress for self-empowerment and social justice. This one-hour interview provides inspiring information about this innovative community.
Our guest, Joe Szwaja, volunteers with New Dawn Guatemala, a Seattle-based non-profit organization that supports Nuevo Amanecer financially, through solidarity and in other ways. Joe and the Guatemalan community inspire us through their bold and positive efforts. Joe has worked skillfully as a high school teacher and has done other positive work to make our world a better place.
To watch the interview, click this link: WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE.
To read the thorough summary I wrote of what we said, click this link: 2018.08 Program Summary — Guatemala
People in Thurston County WA who have cable TV can watch this program 3 times a week throughout August 2018 on TCTV cable channel 22: every Monday at 1:30 pm, every Wednesday at 5:00 pm, and every Thursday at 9:00 pm.
It is watchable through this blog at any time through the link above.