Dear Members and Supporters of the U.S. Network for Democracy in Brazil,
As we begin a new year, we would like to thank all of those who have collaborated with the US Network for Democracy in Brazil (USNDB) since our founding at Columbian Law School on December 1, 2018 in supporting Brazilian social and popular movements and defending democracy in Brazil. In spite of all of the challenges related to Covid-19, we have collectively done an amazing job of educating the U.S. public about the situation in Brazil while at the same time opposing the policies of the Bolsonaro administration.
The year 2022 offers hope for an end to the nightmare that Brazilians have been experiencing with the election of a new government dedicated to addressing the country’s serious socio-economic problems. Our on-going work to organize educational and political events on campuses and universities while also engaging in protests against Bolsonaro’s actions will certainly dovetail with efforts by Brazilians living in the United States to encourage their fellow citizens to put their papers in order to vote in the presidential elections. No doubt by mid-year many of our Brazilian members and supporters will dedicate considerable time to supporting those candidates who promise to carry out policies designed to expand democracy, human rights, and social, economic, and environmental justice.
This coming year our collaborations with the Washington Brazil Office in backing progressive voices and actions in the U.S. Congress regarding Brazil will be essential. That advocacy work will be augmented by the establishment of a Democratic Observatory to educate the U.S. public, the media, and policymakers about the importance of fair and democratic elections in October2022.
If you are not actively involved in the Network, this is the time to join us in our work. If you are already a member of a committee, collective or group, we hope you will be able to double your efforts this year. We look forward to many future collaborations about Brazil.
Happy New Year,
James N. Green and Glady Mitchell-Walthour
National Co-Cooridnators of the US Network for Democracy in Brazil