We are a base of the Educational Network for Global and Grassroots Exchange. They are a network of people and bases whose focus is locally based social change work. More information can be found here: http://globalgrassroots.wordpress.com. SEEC hosted the 2008 and 2009 ENGAGE Annual Convergences here in Spartanburg/Glendale, SC. ENGAGE is a very important part of our work, connecting us with people’s movements and resources across the US and world.
Exchange with Kovit Boonjear during the 2009 ENGAGE Convergence
In the summer of 2009, SEEC was pleased to host 3 interns from the CIEE Thailand study abroad program (http://cieethailand.blogspot.com/). These interns, along with ENGAGE members, worked on coordinating what became known as the ESCR USA team, building SEEC’s capacity, and developing our current workstreams.
SEEC Interns 2009-- from bottom: Caitlin Ryan, Allison Dulin, and Cloe Franko
The ESCR USA team, now a working group of ENGAGE members coordinated by Ilana Garcia-Grossman (ilanagg@gmail.com) and Mariela Rich (mariela.rich@gmail.com), worked with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC) to create Human Rights Reports for a community in Floyd County, KY. These reports detailed the rights of people using the framework of the UN Economic, Social, Cultural Rights. In this way, the struggles of people in Thailand can be shared with people in rural Appalachia; common connections and solutions can be brainstormed and acted upon by people united by their struggle. The website, with more information and images, can be found here: http://engagehumanrights.blogspot.com/
The report can be viewed here:
ESCR Human Rights Report: Kentucky
Na Nong Bong Gold Mine in Thailand
Coal Mining in Floyd County, KY, USA
