On Saturday, May 3, 2014, our Community Radio Project team in Guatemala had the pleasure of visiting Radio San José, of San José, San Marcos, to deliver funds that we raised to help their community radio get back on the air.
Radio San José was raided on February 27th of this year. Andony Godinez Perez, a 20-year-old radio volunteer was recording his youth program at the time of the raid, and was arrested and incarcerated over a month. We sent out personal emails to supporters and friends of Cultural Survival, asking for individual donations to help the radio. One of the radios founders, Roelio, assured us, “We are trying our best to get back on the air, but the most important issue right now is helping Andony and his family”. Andony’s family spent thousands of dollars on legal fees, and our friends at Radio San José wanted the money that we raised to go directly to the family.
With the help of our supporters we were able to raise $1,320 towards our goal of $12,300 to help Andony and his family. As well, with the generous support of the Swift Foundation, we were able to buy a new computer for the radio to enable them to get back on the air.
Our team met with ten volunteers from Radio San José in the living room of one of the radio leaders. We exchanged stories, learning more about the raid and the support from the community, while members of Radio Ixchel who came for the trip with us, shared stories of how they overcame their raid in 2006. Radio San José members expressed their motivation to get back on the air. “The community wants us back on the air. We didn't even need to ask for their help; they just offered it up as a sign of solidarity and support. They really want to help," said station leader Roelio, referring to the $650 already provided by various community groups.
[[{"fid":"62304","view_mode":"media_original","fields":{"format":"media_original","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_copyright[und][0][value]":"","taxonomy_vocabulary_16[und]":"_none","field_media_page[und]":"1","field_folder[und]":"3046","field_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]
Roelio, one of the station founders, presenting funds to Andony's granfather, to support with legal fees.
Our team presented the funds that we raised with the help of 25 generous individual donations to the Radio San José leaders, and those leaders presented the funds directly to Andony’s grandfather, who has been struggling to pay Andony’s legal fees. “I can’t express how grateful I am for this support. Being here, and hearing all these stories makes me realize how important Andony’s work at the radio really was. Thank you to your organization and to Radio San José for being here with us during this difficult time”, expressed Andony’s grandfather.
We are still raising money for Andony and his family, to help them pay their legal fees, as well as the radio, to help them buy new equipment. Please give towards our goal of $12,300 here, to support Indigenous communities in asserting their right to freedom of speech and community media.
