Biography

From the 1970s to the 1990s, the solidarity movement with Latin America opposed U.S. government intervention in Latin American countries. All around the United States, local and national organizations worked directly with people, activists, non-governmental organizations, religious institutions, revolutionary movements, and governments throughout Latin America to challenge damaging U.S. foreign policies and interventions in the region. The nationwide solidarity movement aimed to raise awareness about the crisis in Latin America, support international collaborations, and raise funds for humanitarian aid and projects advocating social and political change.

The Central America Solidarity Committee (CASC) at the University of Iowa was established in the mid-1980s. CASC's purpose was to educate members of the University of Iowa and Iowa City communities about conditions in Central America and to raise awareness about the impact of U.S. intervention in the region. CASC worked with local and international organizations such as the Latin America Human Rights Advocacy Center (LAHRAC), Iowa City Friends Meeting, Iowa Center for Justice and Peace, Archdiocese of Dubuque, the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CIPES), and Committee of Mothers and Relatives of Prisoners, the Disappeared and the Politically Assassinated of El Salvador (COMADRES). The members of CASC organized and hosted rallies, demonstrations, presentations, educational programs, guest speaker visits, public discussions, film screenings, and fundraising and cultural events; circulated petitions; participated in conferences; and developed collaborations and partnerships with other local, national, and international organizations.

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