Pastoral Maya USA

PASTORAL MAYA PROJECT

Pastoral Maya began in the mid-1990s from the efforts of Maya immigrants, and with from the Office of Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The first Pastoral Maya conference was held in Los Angeles March 5 - 7, 1999, the 2nd in Phoenix, Arizona, July 27 - 29, 2001, and the 3rd and 4th at Kennesaw State University in 2004 and 2005. The organizational style of the conferences has been to bring together Maya leaders from across the United States to engage in inspirational discussions and workshops, resulting in ideas and strategies to take home to their communities. Conferences included discussions on the urgency of education, the desire to maintain important aspects of Maya culture and spirituality, health and safety, and the needs of the communities and families still in Guatemala. In 2004 and 2005, discussion included matters of human rights and legal rights. Approximately 40 communities are associated with Pastoral Maya, each community connected with the Pastoral Maya National Board of Directors, and each community with its local leadership. There is an annual meeting of the Board of Directors, held at various locations.

THE MAYA HERITAGE COMMUNITY PROJECT @ Kennesaw State University

The Maya Heritage Community Project links together three areas of activity: the academic mission of the university, the economic and social interests of Georgia, and the human rights of a people. The Maya - KSU relationship rests on trust and friendship. In 2001, KSU began working with local Maya in north Georgia and South Carolina, under a program called the Maya Heritage Community Project.

The Maya Project works on the premise that human service activities can and should have academic merit as well. The Maya Project creates academic learning opportunities for students, and service learning internships that prepare students for employment in such fields as health, law, and human services. The Maya Project endeavors to educate Maya about United States’ law, health, and customs; and to educate faculty and students about the ancient and modern culture of the Maya. By working side-by-side with Maya, KSU students and faculty have a rich educational experience. Various programs of the Maya Project have included a series of health clinics, law seminars, English classes, and seminars on highway safety. In return, the Maya have spoken to classes at university and participated in various university programs. Faculty work has included a keynote presentation at the 2004 Conference of Southern Organization for Human Services, a plenary talk at the 2004 Belize-Guatemala International Conference, and articles prepared for publication.

Funding for the Maya Project came from the University System of Georgia Office of International Education in 2003, the Institute of Global Initiatives and the Center for Hispanic Studies in 2004, and from the A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Policy and the United States Conference of Catholics Bishops in 2005.