"Unionists break down barriers with messages of hope and solidarity for Mexico." April 21, 2004. New York Teacher.

Unionists break down barriers with messages of hope and solidarity for Mexico

April 21, 2004

Nadia Resnikoff, president of the Middle Country TA, ties a ribbon to the chain link fence separating the U.S. from Mexico. Delegation members participated in a Day of the Dead memorial ceremony honoring the hundreds of people who have died trying to cross the border.

The smile on a young girl's face after receiving her very own pencil. Families living in cardboard shacks and struggling to provide food for their children. Sharing a snapshot with a young boy who's never seen his picture. These are just a few of the memories union members took away from a fall delegation to the U.S./Mexico border. Their determination to help effect change offers so much more to their newfound friends south of the border — hope for a better future.

"This was an experience that changed my life and really allowed me to see how crucial the role of the union is," said Nadia Resnikoff, president of the Middle Country Teachers Association on Long Island, who was inspired by the experience to reach out to migrant workers in her community. "The connection between union rights and human rights was made much more clear."

Michelle Parker, a registered nurse and president of the Greenburgh CSO, adds a name to a memorial wall.

Resnikoff was one of 15 labor and religious leaders to participate in the New York State Labor-Religion Coalition's fall delegation to the border to view the effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement on the Mexican people and economy. The coalition is co-chaired by Tom Hobart, president of New York State United Teachers, and Albany Roman Catholic Bishop Howard Hubbard. On the fall trip, participants offered support and met with a group about organizing.

"It's one thing when you go on vacation and you're separated from the poverty by your hotel, and another to live among the people and to understand they're just looking for a better life for their families," said Joan Sommermeyer, a school health aide and member of the Half Hollow Hills TA. "Labor has a responsibility beyond its realm and its members to promote fair wages and better living standards for everybody."

— Clarisse Butler

You can help
Free public education is only provided for Mexican citizens until the sixth grade. "The cost of education is getting very high and people who work in the maquiladoras (factories) can't afford to send their children to school," said Maureen Casey, coordinator of the state Labor-Religion Coalition's International Project. "Essentially, after sixth grade the only option is to work in the factories or to get a job in the informal trade — selling things on the street, washing windshields or working in people's homes."
In 1999, the coalition established the Rainbow Scholarship Program to help with education costs. Boosted by individual contributions, the coalition this year is assisting five students from middle school through university with tuition and supplies. When Jim Wood retired as NYSUT exective director, he asked in lieu of gifts that donations go to the fund, which resulted in more than $2,500 going to the fund.
If you would like to sponsor a student via a full or partial scholarship, contact the coalition at 800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, N.Y. 12110-2455; call (518) 213-6000, ext. 6294; or visit www.labor-religion.org online.