Equipo Maiz is a progressive organization that originated out of El Salvador in 1983. Its focus is on popular education, breaking down traditional forms of education, generating participation and solidarity. The inspiration for Equipo Maiz's stance on popular education came from Latin America in the 1960's with Pablo Freirie's (from Brazil) "Pedagogy of the Oppressed" which detailed and promoted the educative process of liberation.
To go back to more of its history, Equipo Maiz generated from the necessity of speaking honestly about El Salvador's realities (in the 1960's), gathering vast information and knowledge. Community groups began forming that developed songs, games, drawings, and public meetings to discuss and critique the aspects of Latin American life at that time. Initially Equipo Maiz workers were connected with Ecclesiastical Base Communities and now work with political parties, cooperatives, unions, NGO's, student organizations, etc.
Equipo Maiz focuses upon five essential programs:
1) management of environmental risks
2) historic memory (Oscar Romero; El Salvador conflict)
3) economic literacy (Free Trade; capitalism in total)
4) sexuality and gender
5) participative methodology
Equipo Maiz has international solidarity connections and travels to the Unites States when possible. They just visited and held a forum in Minneapolis last year!
Participative education for all! Pass along the stories of liberation to the youth!
No privatization of education!
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