Dear Friends, Supporters, and Community Members,

We are reaching out to you with a heartfelt request for your support in making the upcoming Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS) Summer Institute in Oaxaca, Mexico, a resounding success. As an independent organization dedicated to empowering self-identified Chicana, Latina, Native American / indígena mujeres and gender non-conforming academics, students, and activists, we rely on the generosity of individuals like you to continue our vital work. Your support this year is especially important as we are coordinating our first international Summer Institute, and we will not have the benefit of sponsorship from a host university.

The MALCS Summer Institute serves as a crucial space for fostering intellectual growth, community building, healing, and activism in academia and beyond. We are excited to hold our first ever international Institute in Oaxaca, a region rich in Indigenous cultural heritage and social justice activism. We will be hosting over 300 women and gender non-binary participants. With a small team of coordinators and without the support of traditional university sponsors, however, we face a financial challenge in ensuring the success of this event.

Your donation will directly contribute to covering essential expenses such as:

Venue Space: Securing a suitable venue and accommodations for our participants is essential for creating a safe and inclusive environment where learning and collaboration can thrive. Your donation will help cover the costs associated with renting event spaces and necessary logistics such as AV, chairs, umbrellas, etc.

Programming and Materials: From plenary speakers and workshops to art exhibits and cultural excursions, the MALCS Summer Institute offers a diverse range of programming aimed at deeply engaging our participants in powerful experiences. Your support will enable us to fund these activities so we may keep registration fees economically accessible to students and participants from Mexico.

Community Immersive Experiences: We believe in giving back to the communities that welcome us and have created intentional partnerships to support Oaxacan-based women's collectives/individuals aligned with the mission of MALCS. Your donation will support our efforts to address feminist intersectionality and empowerment through building transterritorial relationships and recognizing the work of fierce Oaxacan women creating change for other women and their communities.

Scholarships for Students in Mexico: It is important that the MALCS Summer Institute be accessible to women and gender non-binary students. To this end, we plan to cover registration and the Tortuga Award Dinner for students who might not be able to participate otherwise.

Thank you for considering supporting this historic gathering of Chicana, Latina, Mexican, Indigena, Native women and gender non-binary persons .

Our goal is to have each team member listed below raise $1000 toward our goal of $10,000.

Your generosity will be received with tremendous gratitude and corazón! We will also be sure to mention you in the program.

MALCS Summer Institute Site Committee

Sandra M. Pacheco, Site Chair

Angela Mictlanxochitl Anderson Guerrero, Site Co-Chair

Alyssa West, Site Administrative Coordinator

OOSA (US) Committee

Aida Hurtado

Alejandra Elenes

Carmen Rivera

Dolores Delgado-Bernal

Felicity Amaya Schaeffer

Gina Nunez Mchiri

Olga Talamante

Rebeca Burciaga

Rita Urquijo-Ruiz

Rusty Barcelo

Vanessa Fonseca-Chavez

Yvette Flores

Learn more about the MALCS Summer institute: https://malcssummerinstitute.org

Photos

Top left: Pastora Reyes Coordinator of Vida Nueva Women's Collective in Teotitlan del Valle (MALCS SI 2024 Community Award)

Top center: Carmen Rivera, SI 2022 Site Chair and Aida Hurtado, MALCS Chair 2022 (photo credit: Vanessa Fonseca-Chavez)

Top right: Doña Isabel from Vida Nueva Women's Collective (photo credit: Vida Nueva)

Bottom left: Participants from SI 2022 (photo credit: Vanessa Fonseca-Chavez)

Bottom right: Participants from SI 2022 (photo credit: Vanessa Fonseca-Chavez)