WHO ARE WE?
Fondo Defensores is a non-profit, secular, non-partisan but spiritual civil association with a cause. Our work is oriented to consolidate ourselves as the first fund focused on the promotion and defense of indigenous rights in Latin America and to provide secure and timely access to strategic and flexible resources that contribute to strengthen the advocacy and collective power of indigenous peoples.
We advocate for the vital role of indigenous peoples as writers, protectors and defenders of the future.
Our struggle is for life.
HISTORY
We are a multi-donor crowdfunding initiative. Founded in 2020, it aims to consolidate the first space in Latin America whose purpose is to support the struggle for the implementation and full exercise of the collective rights of indigenous peoples in the multiple and diverse territories of this geography.
The Fund arises in a context of climate emergency and increasing and diversified violence against those who defend life, indigenous territories and the commons. Our response is to organize ourselves, to re-net-work ourselves and fight to sow hope and accompaniment to the struggles for life.
ISUES THAT MATTER TO US
Mission
To be a fund for the rights of indigenous peoples that supports and strengthens processes of defense of their territories, from a holistic approach in Latin America, promoting the access of defenders to strategic resources to increase and amplify the collective power of the peoples. Always moving towards the full exercise of self-determination.
Vision
We want a Latin America where indigenous peoples enjoy their rights, live in safe and abundant territories, and can freely decide about their lives and futures. We support the work of indigenous peoples as defenders: their resistance and struggles, always oriented towards the construction of other possible worlds, where justice, dignity and good living are realities for all.
PRINCIPLES
Self-determination
This is the mother right and our political horizon: we recognize in the self-determination of peoples, the crystallization of all collective rights. Our path and work is oriented towards strengthening, supporting and accompanying the processes that build, day by day, the exercise of self-determination of indigenous peoples.
Equity
We recognize the historical disadvantages experienced by women and we establish this political consideration to build and always contribute to reduce the gap in the exercise of rights between men and women in opposition to patriarchal oppression.
Care at the center
We recognize the multiple vulnerabilities that inequality produces in people and the natural environment. Therefore, we place collective and individual care actions as a fundamental axis for the development of our work.
Nothing about us, without us
We know that if we are not at the decision-making table, we are on the menu of those who sit at it. This Fund will have an advisory board led by indigenous advisors, its operation will be carried out through indigenous directorates, and the eligibility processes will be under the leadership of experienced indigenous and environmental rights people and advocates.
Courage and Strength
We will actively contribute to the construction of other worlds, in the face of a system that perpetuates injustice and inequity. Always placing the defense of life at the center of our daily work.
Transparency
Accountability is a fundamental pillar of our operation. Our actions maintain the highest standards of excellence and reliability in all our actions.
Solidarity: as a political act
We practice solidarity with indigenous people and peoples committed as equals, promoting and supporting their needs, priorities and visions for the future in their self-determination.
Interconnection
We are part of a magnificent whole, we are one among many collectivities in the now. We recognize our place among the many forces of good and change that exist in the world.
OUR COUNCIL
Our board is charged with supporting, strengthening and providing expert guidance and advice to the entire operation of the Defensores Fund to successfully fulfill its mission. In turn, the Defensores Fund relies on and relies on the experience and wisdom of indigenous experts, their knowledge, experience and vision to strengthen indigenous communities.
The Council takes a strategy from grassroots decision making, and from their expertise for social change, with a strict policy to avoid conflict of interest, they work in collaboration with Fondo Defensores, overseeing the strategic direction, actions and growth.
Yásnaya Aguilar – Ayutla Mixe
She is part of COLMIX, a collective of young Mixe people who carry out research and dissemination activities on Mixe language, history and culture. She studied Hispanic Language and Literature and studied a Master’s degree in Linguistics at UNAM. She has collaborated in various projects on the dissemination of linguistic diversity, development of grammatical content for educational materials in indigenous languages, and documentation projects and attention to languages at risk of disappearing. She has been involved in the development of written material in Mixe and in the creation of Mixe-speaking readers and other indigenous languages.
She has been involved in activism for the defense of the linguistic rights of indigenous language speakers, in the use of indigenous languages in the virtual world and in literary translation.
Se ha involucrado en el activismo para la defensa de los derechos lingüísticos de los hablantes de lenguas indígenas, en el uso de las lenguas indígenas en el mundo virtual y en la traducción literaria.
Guillermo Palma – Rarámuri of Chihuahua
Rarámuri community member, representative of his people in the Network in Defense of Corn, one of the thinkers who is linking the Rarámuri authorities with the outside world. Founder and coordinator of the Rarámuri Governors Network PROFECTAR, currently general coordinator of SINE Comunar.
Cecilio Solís – Nahua from the Sierra Norte of Puebla
Geographer (UNAM) with experience and training in indigenous rights, ecotourism, biodiversity and indigenous development. He has been co-founder of several organizations including the Centro Cultural Ixtlamachiliztli; Maya Ik’ Turismo Ecológico y Cultural del Pueblo Maya S.C.P, Umbral Axochiatl. A.C, the Organización Indígena-Campesina de la Sierra Norte de Puebla, the Red Indígena de Turismo de México, A.C and the Federación Indígena Empresarial y Comunidades Locales de México (CIELO).
He is a member of the Mesoamerican Indigenous Council and the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, and has been co-president of the International Indigenous Forum on Climate Change at the 8th and 16th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations.
His work has been distinguished by Ashoka Visionaris “UBS” to the Social Entrepreneur, Social Entrepreneurship the voice of social innovation of Expansion, The Equator Initiative, UNDP, Continuity Forum. ABC Foundation and 30 promises FORBES.
Es integrante del Consejo Indígena Mesoamericano y del Foro Internacional Indígena sobre Biodiversidad, y ha sido Co-presidente del Foro Internacional Indígena sobre Cambio Climático en la 8º y la 16º Conferencia de las Partes de las Naciones Unidas.
Su trabajo ha sido distinguido por Ashoka Visionaris “UBS” al Emprendedor Social, Social Entrepreneurship the voice of social innovation de Expansion, The Equator Initiative, PNUD, Continuity Forum. ABC Foundation y 30 promesas FORBES.
Érika Carbajal – Chontal Woman from Oaxaca
Promoter and defender of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. She has focused her energies mainly on agrarian rights (land and territory) and indigenous women’s rights, based on the right to land.
For more than 16 years she has accompanied Chontal communities in the Sierra Sur of the State of Oaxaca; from the methodology of popular education, as a facilitator of workshops, in organizational processes, legal advice, updating of agrarian registers and communal statutes.
She is a member of the organization Tequio Jurídico A. C. and is a lawyer.
ORGANIZATION
