Charlotte Saenz and Zara Zimbardo: On Community Building and the Zapatista Movement
Aug 1, 2024
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Charlotte Saenz is deeply involved in community building related to the Zapatista movement, while Zara Zimbardo adds her insights on its influence on global liberation. They discuss the innovative 'Zapatista Seed Pedagogics', emphasizing mutual education and autonomy. The conversation explores the Zapatistas’ resistance against colonial capitalism, their journey of reverse colonization, and the significance of decolonizing knowledge and identity. They highlight the interconnectedness of communities and the power of collective action in fostering resilience.
The Zapatista movement exemplifies a unique implementation of autonomy through communal governance and self-determination, rooted in collective participation and rotation of leadership.
Zapatista seed pedagogics emphasizes decolonization and interdependence, fostering solidarity through shared knowledge and practices that address systemic struggles against global capitalism.
Deep dives
The Zapatista Movement's Historical Context
The Zapatista uprising began on January 1, 1994, coinciding with the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which threatened the livelihoods of indigenous peasants in Chiapas, Mexico. This group of Mayan peasants, rising in arms, sought to reclaim their autonomy and challenge the oppressive structures stemming from colonial capitalism and cis-heteropatriarchy. The movement gained global attention as the first 'internet revolution,' with real-time updates shared through communiques, establishing a unique connection between the Zapatistas and the global community. Their struggle is characterized by a commitment to autonomy and solidarity with other oppressed peoples, as they emphasize the importance of self-determination and dignified living.
Zapatista Autonomy and Governance Structures
Zapatista autonomy is rooted in the principles of self-governance and communal decision-making, exemplified by their practice of rotating councils that operate under the principle of 'mandar obedeciendo,' which means leading by obeying the people. This structure allows for dynamic organization and recent consultations with community members aim to restructure governance in response to both successes and challenges faced over the years. Autonomy also includes the establishment of solidarity economies, women's cooperatives, community justice systems, and an alternative educational framework driven by local needs and knowledge. These systems collectively foster resilience against external pressures, including state militarization and capitalist extraction.
Resistance to Capitalist Extraction
The ongoing resistance of the Zapatistas to capitalist extraction is seen in their daily practices and collective problem-solving approaches, particularly as they face new threats from state militarization and rival drug cartels. Their calls for community organization emphasize the necessity of collective strength, trust-building, and active participation in assemblies to address challenges. This form of resistance involves not only tackling immediate problems but also integrating ancestral cosmologies and practices into everyday life as a response to historical and ongoing colonial violence. The Zapatistas illustrate the potential of weaving interconnectedness within their collective practices as a means to navigate the complexities of contemporary struggles.
The Role of Education in Zapatista Philosophy
Zapatista seed pedagogics serves as a holistic educational process that emphasizes interdependence and community, focusing on decolonizing practices through the lens of land reclamation, cultural revitalization, and collective decision-making. This educational model encourages unlearning colonial ideologies and listening to the voices of marginalized groups, fostering a sense of responsibility toward the environment and each other. The metaphor of the seed signifies the potency of shared knowledge and practices that can be cultivated both within Zapatista territories and beyond, fostering solidarity and resistance to global capitalism. The Zapatistas encourage not only personal growth but also the collective flourishing of diverse communities as they seek to navigate systemic challenges with patience and care.
Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes (see below) properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description.
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The Zapatista movement emerging from Chiapas, Mexico over the past three decades has impacted people all over the world who struggle to liberate themselves from colonial capitalism and Cis-Heteropatiarchy.
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Between 2012 and 2019, several delegations of CIIS students, staff, and faculty traveled to Chiapas. There they attended various educational encounters that compose part of what CIIS faculty Charlotte María Sáenz calls “Zapatista Seed Pedagogics,” a way to describe the mutual education between Zapatistas and those outside their autonomous territory.
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In this episode Charlotte is joined by fellow CIIS faculty member Zara Zimbardo for a conversation exploring the ways the Zapatista movement bridges different worldviews, politics, and geographies to collectively revision and remake “a world in which many worlds fit,” an oft-repeated Zapatista slogan.
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This episode was recorded during a live online event on November 11th, 2023. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms.
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We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing:
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-Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller’s consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf.
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-Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities.
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-Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police.
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-Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers.
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-Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org.
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LINKS
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Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/
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California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/
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CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms
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CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/
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Mental Health Care and Support Resources:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://thrivelifeline.org/
https://translifeline.org/
https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics
https://befrienders.org/
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