Amigos en Nicaragua [Fwd: Casa Grande Community Center]

[dirty...@riseup.net]

The Casa Grande community is a Nicaraguan grassroots effort to empower and
revitalize the arts culture and community in the small indigenous village
of La Laguna. There will be a film, silent auction, and bake sale. Come
support this effort to help a community in Nicaragua that has been victim
to large corporate power and governmental neglect. Join us to learn more
about Nicaragua and how we can act in solidarity with our friends there.

Sunday, July 22, 2012 - 4:00pm @ UniTEA House, 666 College Drive (upstairs)

https://www.facebook.com/events/324654174292082/

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Casa Grande Community Center
From: "Gretchen Groenke" <ggro...@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, July 12, 2012 2:03 pm
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
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Hey Friends-


I'm writing to invite you to a benefit party that Trav, Eddy and i are
planning next Sunday, July 22nd, that will benefit the Casa Grande
Community Center in Nicaragua. You'll find all the details below, and
photos at www.BearRoots.wordpress.com. We really hope to see you there and
that you can help support this incredible place. We're also looking for
folks to bake some delicious goods for the raffle, please let me know if
you're interested. Thanks!


Besos y Abrasos-

gretchen, travis and eddy


~~~~~~~~~~~~~


*Casa Grande Benefit Party~ July 22nd~ 4pm*


During our recent trip to Nicaragua we had the opportunity to visit friends
who are working to develop the Casa Grande Community Center in La Laguna,
Matagalpa.



La Laguna is a small community of indigenous Mataglapan people nestled into
the lush mountains of north central Nicaragua. This community has seen
tremendous change from the years of the Somoza dictatorship in which their
land was given to wealthy foreigners in order to develop the coffee
industry. During these times the people suffered immensely as their land
and labor was exploited. The Casa Grande, which is literally a very big
house, was built by an Italian landowner in La Laguna during this era and
it is a reminder of the vast inequality that was present. It is mansion of
a house with 10+ rooms in the middle of a community where most homes are a
single room.



After the Sandinista Revolution, lands were redistributed, and the people
of La Laguna were given back the right to their land, which included
ownership of the Casa Grande. The house has since been home to several
different projects which have come and gone leaving the building in
disrepair. The current effort to revitalize the structure and house within
it a new community center is an entirely grassroots effort. The goal is to
create a space for art and cultural activities for the youth of La Laguna
and also to maintain space for classes, conferences and gatherings of
Nicaraguans and international visitors.



The community center is gathering strength with extremely limited funding.
The Amigos en Nicaragua benefit party is an effort to raise money to
support the establishment of the community center. At the party will we
hold a silent auction that will feature handmade jewelry from Nicaraguan
artists. There will also be a raffle for some delicious homemade baked
goods. We will screen a short film about the community center and the
local bluegrass group Chicken Strange will share some great music. Join us
at the UniTea House (above the College Drive Cafe in Durango) from 4-7 pm
on Sunday July 22nd to support the Casa Grande Community Center. There
will be a $5 suggested donation at the door (no one will be turned away for
lack of funds) and all ages are encouraged to come. All the proceeds from
the event will go directly to the community center. We hope to see you
there!