LASC is a Western new York community-based group committed to promoting human rights and social and economic justice in Latin America. LASC began in Western New York in the 1980s as part of the Pledge of Resistance, with members committed to non-violent civil disobedience if the United States invaded Nicaragua. Members had a shared concern about human rights abuses in Central America and our government's support of repressive regimes. When that conflict cooled down, the organization broadened its scope to include activites in solidarity with peace and social justice movements all over Latin America. It also joined the Western New York Peace Center and became a task group of that organization.

Coffeehouses (see calendar on main page) are held on the 3rd Monday of most months, usually at the Network of religious Communities, 1272 Delaware Avenue. The public is cordially invited. Speakers are persons who have recently visited the country or, in some cases, human rights workers from the countries themselves. Recent topics include:

• Sister Communities in Nicaragua
• NAFTA and the Women of Jaurez, with a mother of one of the murdered young women.
• Venezuelan's speaking about Venezuela under Chavez
• A Canadian's motorcycle diary of Cuba
• Refugee workers and immigration lawyers from Buffalo and Canada on the Crisis for Asylum Seekers.
• A Report on El Salvador from a Cornell U. Anthropologist

Meetings with legislators and with editorial boards and campaigns to influence legislators and media

LASC frequently meets with our U.S. Senators and Representatives to give them background which will help them to understand countries in Latin Amerca and vote for more enlightened policy towards them. The most recent meeting was with the newly elected U.S. representative Brian Higgins. LASC also meets from time to time with the editorial board of the Buffalo News and other local papers to argue for editorial policies that give space and enlightened coverage to social justice movements in Latin America.

LASC co-ordinates petitions, letter writing campaigns and call ins to legislators on specific issues such as military aid to Columbia and funding of the School of the Americas, where so many Latin American military human ritghts abusers have been trained. It also encourages letter to the editor campaigns.

Collecting and distributing local, national and international humanitarian aid

LASC works with Pastors for Peace caravans to send aid to Central America and the Caribbean. It contributes funds that it raises through the Latin America Dinner and private contributions to local social justice activists, disaster relief in Central America and international organizations like the Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras.

Solidarity work with local and national groups

Local:
• Coalition for Economic Justice
• Vive La Casa , a refugee aid center
• Rural and Migrant Ministry
• The Hispanic Woman's League
• The Latin American Cultural Association
• CEC (Citizens' Environmental Coalition)

National:
• Pastors for Peace
• Nicaragua Network
• Mexico Solidarity Network
• SOA Watch
• Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras
• NISGUA (Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala)
• Latin American Working Group