Transnational Justice for Environmental and Labor Rights

Dulce María López led a transnational justice initiative connecting grassroots leaders from Southern Jalisco and California to address environmental harm, labor exploitation, and forced migration linked to U.S. trade policies. Collaborating with organizations like School of the Americas Watch, she organized panels, artistic testimonies, and advocacy efforts that engaged over 150 people in person, reached 100,000 online, and raised $5,000 to support activists in Mexico. As a former farmworker from Tolimán, she continues building sustainable, decolonial solutions beyond graduation.

IMPORTANCE
This project matters because it addresses the root causes of forced migration and environmental harm in Mexico—issues often shaped by U.S. policy and corporate interests. This region is one of the main agricultural producer in Jalisco, the state with the highest agricultural GDP in Mexico, which exports mainly to the United States. In a world with global market, human rights should also strived for global advocacy. I chose this project to elevate rural Indigenous voices and transform cultural knowledge into collective power and concrete advocacy. As someone from the region, I’m committed to amplifying my community’s vision for justice and sustainability.

IMPACT AND REACH
2 panels with over 60+ participants in Southern Jalisco roundtables
Social media campaign reached over 100,000 viewers
$5,000 USD raised to support ongoing justice and search efforts for disappeared persons in Mexico
6 invited speaking panels across the U.S.
2 youth organizing teams formed in Jalisco following the events

COLLABORATIONS
The project collaborated with Renovación Democrática Ciudadana, School of the Americas Watch, All Power Bookstore, and Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco. These partnerships helped mobilize rural leaders and U.S.-based advocates, bridging both communities and creating platforms for shared learning, advocacy, and efforts towards social change. We are now working with All Power Bookstore and the Ayuntamiento de Tolimán, Jalisco to launch a visual storytelling exhibit in California and in Jalisco to bridge locals in Jalisco and its migrants in California.

YOUR ROLE WELL DEFINED
I led the initiative by designing and coordinating the project, facilitating panels, organizing logistics, creating educational content, and spearheading the fundraising campaign. I also conducted research, built policy proposals based on community knowledge, and am forming follow-up working groups. This was an independent project, not tied to a required course, which I undertook to demonstrate grassroots leadership beyond the classroom.

OPTIONAL NEXT STEPS
I am working to formalize this initiative as a non-profit in Mexico that can continue to support rural organizers. In California, I plan to expand partnerships to share this work through exhibitions and educational events that inform policy and expand collective action.