I have read the Council's definitive statement on the issue of the annual meeting, which I appreciate. I have also spoken to one of the Council members. I am convinced that cancelling the annual meeting, even if an "out" could be negotiated with Westin, would have devastating consequences. As someone who has worked as hard as any to create and establish NAISA, I do not want to see it bankrupted and disappear, especially in its infancy.

A close friend recently said, “I just don’t know” in consternation. Like other NAISA members, she is definitely exasperated by the NAISA conference issue with reference to the economic boycott of Arizona called for by Congressman Raul Grijalva as a statement of concern, protest, and resistance. She, of course, also makes, in a sense, reference to not knowing what to do about this very serious matter. At the same time, she is also referring possibly—correctly in my mind--to being exasperated by NAISA leadership that is insisting the conference be held in Arizona anyway--business as usual--despite the sensible call for an economic boycott of Arizona as a statement of concern, protest, and resistance.

UPDATED MESSAGE May 2 TO NAISA:

Previous to my post below, I had not read the other posts or blogs... truthfully, like many, I've been busy protesting, marching and rallying (and writing) against all the extremism mentioned in my post below.

As a new member, I don't mean to impose, but I do want to add a few more ideas.

As if SB 1070 weren't bad enough, the Arizona legislature just sent another bill (HB 2281) to Governor Jan Brewer's desk that would ban ethnic studies courses in all K-12 public and charter schools. The governor has until May 11 to either sign or veto the bill. If this bill is signed into law too, NAISA should cancel its upcoming meeting in Tucson and immediately join the national boycott of the state.

This article has already been distributed in pamphlet form, the few paragraphs immediately below are a few notes on recent developments.

In light of the state's new attack of SB 1070 on migrant communities, OSABC would like to show a perspective and experience that is often overlooked in the immigration struggle, that being the indigenous impacts. Indigenous communities have, and still are being attack by the state (meaning the political entity, also called "government") since the first migrants, European settlers, arrived to this hemisphere. But that, we already know. What OSABC would like to express is, WE ARE STILL HERE.

As I have stated elsewhere, I know the board faces extremely difficult decisions. But to call things not official and therefore not valid really disturbs me. ETA: I am referring to the statement in the President's letter: "My view is that a boycott, though, is an effective tactic when it is an organized, collective, and coordinated campaign."

TUSD is continuing with its Summer Institute (Note that TUSD's La Raza program has been under attack in AZ for years Certain state legislators have introduced bills against teaching ethnic studies, or anything "anti-American" in schools. Although these bills have targeted K-12, they potentially could affect universities as well). Rudy Acuna is the featured speaker.

MALCS at ASU
Site Executive Committee
Position on HB 1070

The MALCS Site Executive committee at ASU recognizes the discontent and horror of progressive communities towards the Arizona state legislature; we want to
take a moment to comment on this year's MALCS summer institute.