Calendar

Click on link to the right to see more!

Consider your position in your community. What can you contribute to undocumented community members or migrant organizations?

Do you know any legal, mental health, social work professionals?

What about school employees?

We need EVERYONE to consider how they can mobilize support for vulnerable migrant families.

If you yourself don’t hold a professional position that is needed, consider this: Could you serve as a first-call, point person for someone who is detained? Reach out to them to initiate a supportive conversation.  Are you positioned to do child pick-up and safeguarding? Well-connected with community orgs or professionally situated to help with legal, medical or other needs?

See the attached flyer for more resources and ways to get involved.

Click the link on the right to learn more!

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

What to do if you are arrested, visited, or questioned by ICE

Say you wish to remain silent and immediately request to speak with a lawyer. Do not sign anything. Ask to see a warrant. https://www.nilc.org/resources/know-your-rights-what-to-do-if-arrested-detainedimmigration/

Ohio National Lawyers Guild Hotline: (614) 654-6477

Call this number if you are arrested during a demonstration or visited/questioned by ICE

Ohio Immigration Hotline: hotline@ohioimmigrant.org or 419-777-HELP (4357)

Call this number to share information about harmful incidents involving immigrants such as ICE arrests or raids, or to request resources and guidance on policy and legal matters.

Access ICE and CBP detention statistics

Scroll to bottom: https://www.ice.gov/detain/detention-management Watch this video for help interpreting the data: https://www.instagram.com/ reel/DLiQzYVRZGv/igsh=MWF3Y2s0NDZxbXh5aA%3D%3D

Keep track of immigration court data from Transactional Records Access Clearing House (TRAC)

Immigration info home: https://tracreports.org/immigration/ New proceedings filed: https://tracreports.org/phptools/immigration/ntanew/

Follow Austin Kocher on Substack to read about current immigration enforcement https://substack.com/@austinkocher/posts

Honduras is facing one of the most intense pre-electoral crises in its recent history — a crisis that is deepening as election day approaches. The politically charged moment is hard to monitor, even for the most astute, regardless of whether you are following the situation closely or not. Concerns about the integrity of the electoral process are surfacing almost daily from every sector of Honduran society, as well as from international entities like the OAS and officials in the U.S. government. So, how do we understand the complexities of the situation less than 2.5 weeks from Honduran election day (November 30, 2025)? What are some of the key takeaways of the pre-electoral crisis that can ground our understanding of the national situation? Join us for a critical conversation on Thursday, November 20, at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET to hear from: Gustavo Irías, Executive Director of the Center for Democracy Studies (CESPAD), a Global Exchange partner leading a 150-person national and international electoral observation mission. Gustavo will discuss the pre-electoral crisis and share CESPAD’s work documenting and clarifying what is happening on the ground. Wendy Cruz, from the campesino organization Via Campesina, will share how she, as an organizer, understands the unfolding electoral crisis from a non-partisan, social-movement perspective. Karen Spring, Honduras-based Coordinator of the Honduras Solidarity Network (HSN). Like in 2021, she is working alongside Global Exchange and CESPAD during the November 2025 elections to assist with monitoring and observation. Karen has lived and worked in Honduras for over 15 years. Karen will help translate the stakes of this pre-electoral crisis in Honduras for an international audience seeking to understand why what happens in Honduras matters for the entire region — and how it shapes relations with other countries, particularly the United States.

to register click here

For decades, the original NAFTA and subsequent USMCA trade deal have fueled outsourcing, suppressed wages, and devastated union jobs and communities. While unions and others fought hard to secure improvements in the USMCA, corporations continue to shift production to Mexico, wages remain deeply unequal, and key labor reforms have gone under-enforced. The result? The promise of a fairer trade deal that lifts up workers in all three countries remains unfulfilled. We’re excited to be joined this month by Riley Ohlson from the AFL-CIO, who will share labor’s perspective on what must change in the USMCA to truly deliver for workers — and how we can organize to make it happen.

to register click here

SignUp.com links for volunteer shifts:

NOV 22-23 St Noel https://signup.com/go/JwuXcOu

NOV 29-30 St Joseph Avon Lake https://signup.com/go/LWOQmkm

DEC 3 St Ignatius https://signup.com/go/uHUBzMj

DEC 4 Magnificat Holly Market https://signup.com/go/AuxwvkS

DEC 5 Walsh Jesuit High School https://signup.com/go/UtUJxXO

DEC 6 Church of the Saviour https://signup.com/go/JRsFaJp

DEC 7 Community of St Peter https://signup.com/go/iABryVo

DEC 9 Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin HS https://signup.com/go/TkNdUJO

DEC 10 St Edward HS https://signup.com/go/RcyKQUJ

DEC 11 St Joseph Academy https://signup.com/go/szLjJsz

DEC 11-12 Magnificat High School https://signup.com/go/gLxURUx

DEC 14 Forest Hill Church-Presbyterian https://signup.com/go/gRtPjRC   

DEC 18 Ruth Building (Near West Side) https://signup.com/go/GUjdHPV

DEC 20 IRTF Fair Trade Open House https://signup.com/go/RhwVYuR

Promoting economic justice through fair trade

On December 2, 1980, two members of the Cleveland Catholic Mission Team in El Salvador were killed by US-supported military personnel: Jean Donovan, a lay woman from St Luke’s Parish in Lakewood, and Sister Dorothy Kazel, an Ursuline sister who had taught at Beaumont School in Cleveland Heights. 

The InterReligious Task Force on Central America (IRTF) was formed so that we here in northeast Ohio could live out their legacy—taking action in solidarity with oppressed peoples as they struggle for peace, dignity and justice. 

Promoting economic justice through fair trade is an important part of IRTF’s human rights mission. IRTF brought Equal Exchange, the first fair trade coffee company in the US, to Cleveland in the mid-1990s. Many congregations started selling and serving Equal Exchange coffee as an act of justice and solidarity. Dave’s Market on Payne Ave became the first store in Cleveland to carry Equal Exchange. Then Heinen’s became the first grocery chain in the US to sell Equal Exchange in all its stores. 

IRTF plays a leading role in the Ohio Fair Trade Network,  which since 2009 has been holding the annual Ohio Fair Trade Teach-In & Expo each October (fair trade month) at John Carroll University.

About IRTF Fair Trade

IRTF works towards justice and equity in the distribution, access to, and participation in the production and consumption of the world’s resources for the people of Central America and Colombia. IRTF examines the corporate-dominated globalization of the economy through the lens of people in Central America and Colombia and how their reality is linked to ours in NE Ohio.  IRTF challenges the dominant economic model that results in exploitation both at home and abroad. IRTF offers an alternative through Fair Trade. 

Fair trade is a trade model that sets a series of standards to ensure fair wages and human dignity for producers, community investment, environmental sustainability, and more.  IRTF promotes Fair Trade as an alternative trade model to the conventional free market system of trade that currently dominates our world and further divides us into “haves” and “have nots.”

At outreach tables throughout the year (schools, faith congregations, community festivals),  IRTF sells artisan-crafted fair trade items—raising tens of thousands of dollars—so that artisans and farmers in Latin America can earn a living wage. Items include: tagua nut jewelry, coconut shell jewelry, silver jewelry, painted wood products, beaded key chains, ornaments, earrings, headbands, wallets (from re-purposed materials), handbags

Fair trade is an important of IRTF’s human rights mission: to call together people in NE Ohio to walk in solidarity with oppressed peoples of Central America and Colombia to achieve peace, justice, human rights and systemic transformation through nonviolence.

Fair Trade items 

The items that IRTF sells are handcrafted by worker-owners of fair trade cooperatives (and collectives of artisans) in southern Mexico (Nahua people of Guerrero),  Central America and Colombia

Colombia (tagua jewelry, wire yarn animals)

El Salvador (coconut shell jewelry, painted wood products, crocheted purses)

Guatemala (beaded key chains, ornaments, earrings, headbands; wallets, handbags)

Mexico (silver jewelry)

Honduras (some of the earrings).  

The cooperatives are small businesses, worker-owned, mostly by women. They set their own hours and working conditions.  Most importantly, they pay themselves a living wage (in the local context), but still live in poverty.

Because they earn a living wage, their children don’t have to drop out of school to help support the family. So fair trade is also helping the next generation as well.

By selling handmade crafts, we highlight the importance of fair trade as a just alternative to corporate-led globalization, which is shutting out small producers.

Price range of items

$5-10: small clay bobble-head animals, wire yarn animals, hacky sacks, finger puppets, beaded key chains, beaded holiday ornaments, friendship bracelets, snap leather bracelets, barrettes, wallets

$10-20: wallets, small purses, handbags, coconut shell earrings, silver earrings, silver bracelets, silver rings, novelty items

$20-30: wallets, purses, handbags, laptop covers

$30-40: purses, handbags, messenger bags

$40-50: large purses, messenger bags

Equal Exchange items

IRTF is a long-term partner of Equal Exchange, the first fair trade coffee company in the U.S. IRTF brought Equal Exchange to NE Ohio in the mid-1990s. Heinen’s became the first grocery chain to sell Equal Exchange in all its stores.

IRTF offers these Equal Exchange fair trade food products: chocolate bars, tea, hot cocoa mix, baking cocoa, coffee (regular, decaf, flavored), olive oil from the West Bank

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

It’s our busy season, and we need lots of volunteers to help us raise vital income for fair trade artisans and farmers—and share timely human rights updates with shoppers.

Please see the links below and consider volunteering for a shift at one (or more) of our off-site sales over the next month. We truly need and appreciate your support!

Thanks,

IRTF staff and board

SignUp.com links for volunteer shifts:

NOV 22-23 St Noel https://signup.com/go/JwuXcOu

NOV 29-30 St Joseph Avon Lake https://signup.com/go/LWOQmkm

DEC 3 St Ignatius https://signup.com/go/uHUBzMj

DEC 4 Magnificat Holly Market https://signup.com/go/AuxwvkS

DEC 5 Walsh Jesuit High School https://signup.com/go/UtUJxXO

DEC 6 Church of the Saviour https://signup.com/go/JRsFaJp

DEC 7 Community of St Peter https://signup.com/go/iABryVo

DEC 9 Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin HS https://signup.com/go/TkNdUJO

DEC 10 St Edward HS https://signup.com/go/RcyKQUJ

DEC 11 St Joseph Academy https://signup.com/go/szLjJsz

DEC 11-12 Magnificat High School https://signup.com/go/gLxURUx

DEC 14 Forest Hill Church-Presbyterian https://signup.com/go/gRtPjRC   

DEC 18 Ruth Building (Near West Side) https://signup.com/go/GUjdHPV

DEC 20 IRTF Fair Trade Open House https://signup.com/go/RhwVYuR

source: Share Foundation

2025 December Delegation - SHARE Foundation

Apply here to join this delegation.

The SHARE Foundation and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) invite you to join us in celebration of the 45th anniversary of Ita, Maura, Dorothy and Jean.

2025 is a year of anniversaries; it is the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si, the Holy Year of Jubilee, the 45th anniversary of the martyrdom of Monseñor Romero, and the ninth  anniversary of the martyrdom of Berta Cáceres… and many more.

We want to remember our sisters alive in the struggle for a better world; we remember them by continuing walking with The People of God of El Salvador, Honduras and of our communities.

We celebrate the lives of our sisters by embracing Laudato Si on its 10th anniversary and continue planting seeds of hope that produce healthy food to nourish our tired bodies, and care for our Madre Tierra.

We invite you to bring our sisters to the presente by planting seeds of solidarity: 

Join the Pilgrimage to El Salvador November 28th to December 6th, 2025. Walk on holy land with the people of Ita, Maura, Dorothy, Jean, Romero, Berta, the people of God.

1. Join the Virtual Pilgrimage to follow the Pilgrimage to El Salvador and Honduras. You will receive daily reflections, pictures and invitations to FaceBook live. Register here: https://forms.gle/HphV6kahuhRwR9cC7
2. Educate your community about Ita, Maura, Dorothy and Jean during 2025; organize an event, show a movie, and or invite friends and family for a house gathering for a toast in celebration of their lives.
3. Support women’s projects in El Salvador and Honduras: help with fundraising for local projects promoting women’s rights, health care, community development and support for refugees deported from the US.
4. Host a woman from El Salvador or Honduras to visit your city for 2 to 3 days to educate your community and plant seeds of solidarity in May – June 2026.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the lives of our sisters; help us invite others by sharing this invitation among your friends and other contacts. Contact us with any suggestions or questions: Jose Artiga: jose@share-elsalvador.org telephone + 1 510 848 8487 and Bridget Bearss: bbearss@lcwr.org Visit www.share-elsalvador.org

MORE BASIC QUESTIONS/ANSWERS ABOUT THE DELEGATION

A Pilgrimage / Peregrinaje is a journey to a holy place. You as a pilgrim / Peregrinus will be walking on Holy Land Walking with the People of God ( el Pueblo de Dios).

 1. Who is inviting you? SHARE and LCWR are extending an invitation from Christian Base Communities in El Salvador to women religious and lay women and men to join them on this special Pilgrimage to walk with the People of God in Holy Land.

2. What are the dates?

Pilgrimage to El Salvador, November 28 to December 6, 2025.

Pilgrimage to Honduras December 6 to 10, 2025

November 28th: travel to El Salvador, arriving any time and returning on December 6th; for those going on to Honduras, will travel by land on December 6th and return home from SAP San Pedro Sula Airport.

3. What are the objectives of the delegation?

a. To remember and celebrate the lives of Ita, Maura, Dorothy and Jean.

b. To be in solidarity with the organized people of El Salvador and Honduras.

c. To return to the U.S. and continue planting the seeds of solidarity. We hope each pilgrim will become a promoter of solidarity, including organizing presentations to share their story, educating their elected officials in Congress, hosting a guest from El Salvador who is visiting the US, and raising funds to support SHARE’s partners in El Salvador.

4. What is the Cost?

The cost for the Pilgrimage to El Salvador is $1,250 plus airfare. The cost for Honduras is $450 which includes housing, food, translation, in-country transportation, partner organization honoraria, and organization of events. The total cost for El Salvador and Honduras is $1700.

5. What airport do I fly to?

Arrive in El Salvador’s Monsenor Oscar Romero Airport SAL, anytime on November 28th. Depart December 6th from El Salvador. For delegates going to Honduras, return on December 10th from San Pedro Sula SAP airport.

6. When do I pay?

First payment is a $100 NON-refundable on or before September 1. Second payment on or before November 1. To pay, please send a check for $1,250 or $1700 to SHARE Foundation, memo line Roses in December, and send to 2425 College Ave. Berkeley, CA 94704; or online at share-elsalvador.org (plus a 3% processing fee)

 7. How do I apply for a partial scholarship?

Please send a letter to jose@share elsalvador.org We have many ideas and suggestions on how to fundraise for this trip, please contact Jose at 510 848 8487.

8. I would like to join the Pilgrimage, but I cannot go on the delegation; are there other ways to be part of this Pilgrimage?

Yes, there are several ways to be part: a. Join the online pilgrimage to receive before, during, and after emails with pictures, reflections, and invitations to Zoom on activities. Register HERE. b. Sponsor a Pilgrim with a donation and frequent flyer miles. c. Join the organizing team to help with the Pilgrimage.

9. Are children and youth welcomed?

Yes, minors are welcomed as long as they are accompanied by a relative or guardian. Pilgrims in their 80s and plus are also welcomed and we will do our best to accommodate any mobility need they may have. Please advise us beforehand of any such needs.

10. Where will we stay? We will stay in humble guest houses or hotels in El Salvador.

Meals are simple and healthy and we will have access to purified water at all times.

11. Who should come to this delegation?

Young and old, women and men, elected officials and their aides, journalists and people working in the media, artists, and religious leaders. Younger folks, women and people of color are encouraged to join. People working with justice issues such as immigration rights, women’s rights, etc., are most welcome.

12. Are there concerns about safety?

Safety is one of our primary concerns and we take all possible measures to insure the safety of our delegates. El Salvador and Honduras have a long history of being one of the most violent countries in the region, yet some of these conditions have improved over the past few years. Our itinerary is developed in close collaboration with partners in El Salvador and Honduras who are aware of the risks and mindful to reduce them in every possible way. We will be lodged in secure locations and will not be traveling at night; being part of a group provides some safety. We will not participate in demonstrations or knowingly enter situations that would put us at risk. This delegation is one of accompaniment and we encourage participants to consider both the risks and the rewards of this form of activism. SHARE and LCWR have sponsored these delegations for several decades following very strict security measures and, thanks be to God and our martyrs, we have had zero negative incidents. If people are still concerned about safety, they should not go on this Pilgrimage. Please check and follow the US Travel Advisories travel.state.gov

13. What are the expectations for preparation and follow-up for this journey?

Some weeks before the program begins, you’ll be asked to engage with study materials that will help you understand the people and places we will visit, as well as the long history of US intervention in the region. On your return home, we hope you will find many ways to share your experience and all that you’ve learned with your community and engage with your local congressmembers. We will support you with ideas and resources for action and advocacy. Those with particular skills will be asked to organize presentations, blog, write and produce media pieces. There will be 3 required Preparatory Calls for Delegates: the first Thursday of September, October and November at 4 pm PST/7 pm EST.

14. Do I need a passport or a visa to travel?

A valid passport with an expiration date no less than 6 months from the date you are returning is necessary for travel. U.S. citizens do not need a visa.

15. Do I need to speak Spanish?

Spanish is not necessary for participation. Interpretation will always be provided.

16. Are there any cultural issues or group norms to be aware of?

YES:

a. Wearing modest clothing is most appropriate. Women in El Salvador do not usually wear shorts. Skirts, capris and long pants work best. Men often wear longer shorts.

b. Alcoholic drinks are not allowed in the retreat houses where we stay, and it is not appropriate to be drinking in the context of so much suffering in the communities we visit.

c. It is possible that particular people may approach you personally for financial help of some kind. Please know that SHARE offers support to organizations not to individuals; this is the best way to be in solidarity. We ask you not to give any person-to-person financial assistance if approached.

17. When is the deadline?

How do I sign up: Deadline is October 15th. Please apply at share-elsalvador.org

Please send us any additional questions to jose@share-elsalvador.org .