Equity and Equality in Education, Economic Development and Wellness

TRIBUTE TO OUR DEAR FRIEND AND CO-FOUNDER

With heavy hearts, we share, with the few who may have missed our other postings, the sad news of Gale Hull's sudden passing on 16 October from an unexpected vascular event. And with much gratitude, we thank the many PID supporters and associates who have kindly made special donations in Gale's memory and who have extended their well wishes and sympathetic solidarity to PID's board and staff and, especially, to those who are also members of Gale's family.

For the hundreds of us who knew Gale and worked with her over the years, agreement resounds that she exuded an extraordinary character of compassion, competence, and commitment. Moreover, many would go as far as did one speaker at Gale's funeral who described Gale as the finest human being he had ever known. And we have all witnessed how Gale brought the ethos and force of that character to her work with Partners in Development. Such remarkable traits enabled Gale to help grow the organization from a community service center in Ipswich Massachusetts, which she cofounded with her husband James in 1973, to an international organization operating in four countries and annually transforming the lives of thousands through access to housing, medical care, education, and economic development.

Gale's effectiveness emerged neither from elite pedigree nor from wealthy connections, but, rather, from those qualities cited above, driven by her commitment to two operating principles, namely those of respect and adaptability. Gale's entire leadership approach, on both systemic and micro personal levels, reflected these two principles, which she wove into the entire ethical space and systemic protocols in which PID operates. For the full tribute, click here.

A WARM WELCOME TO PID' S NEW PRESIDENT

Tali and Gale in Haiti after the earthquake in 2010

On Gale's passing, the PID Board of Directors has invited Talitha Marcelin to fill the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Partners in Development. Talitha requires little introduction to the hundreds of PID associates, supporters, and program beneficiaries who have worked with her over the past twenty years.

Beginning with a service trip to Haiti, when still a teenager, Talitha has dedicated her life to the work of Partners in Development and to nurturing close relationships with both field staff and those who struggle daily to survive in the areas in which PID operates. Accordingly, she has lived for five years in Haiti, serving as field director until she moved with her family to Guatemala to start up and direct all programs there for seven years.

After returning to the US ten years ago, to serve as Assistant Director of Partners in Development, Talitha continued to provide field leadership in establishing PID's programs in Peru and in overseeing the PID's operations in Mississippi. And in the field, Talitha's quick wit and calm demeanor earned her the reputation of creative problem solver during challenging situations ranging from political upheavals to mechanical failings.

Tali and Gale leading PID's first work trip - August 2000

Likewise, as Assistant Director to Gale, Talitha has, for years, assumed administrative responsibilities for the organization, at large, ranging from fiscal management to personnel coordination and visionary planning. Gale had worked closely with Talitha in that role as part of Gale and the board's broader plan to establish an organization that would continue to flourish following Gale's planned retirement in 2023.

Such field and general administrative experience, combined with her mastery of both Spanish and Haitian Creole, provide the rich tapestry of skills and knowledge that Talitha now brings to her new role as President of Partners in Development.

Thus, with gratitude and confidence, we welcome Talitha to this, her latest position of service to PID and to the thousands of individuals and families in Haiti, Guatemala, Peru, and the Mississippi Delta with whom PID partners to promote education, economic development, and wellness.

PERU SPECIAL DELIVERY

While COVID-19 continues to affect the people of Peru, Nelly continues to work and make sure families in the program have food. All kids are still fully remote for school. The sponsored children and their families have now all recovered from COVID19 after being hit exceptionally hard with the virus. We would like to give a big congratulations to Nelly, our Peru Field Director, who just gave birth to her second child, a sweet baby boy!

PID UPDATE IN HAITI

Food distribution in Les Cayes Haiti After the hurricane

The country is still experiencing civil unrest. While COVID is a concern, the Haitians are dealing with it according to the guidelines in Haiti. The clinic remains open and is packed every day as we are the only clinic open in the area. We have done one final trip to Les Cayes to distribute the tents and food for families who have been affected by the hurricane thanks to donations that had continued to pour in.

Congratulations to Eugenia for passing her driver’s license test!

MISSISSIPPI HAPPENINGS

In Mississippi the elderly group meets every morning to do exercises, learn computer skills, and keep active by playing games and doing crafts. The license program continues to be a huge success, meeting every afternoon and studying for their road test. So far we have had seven adults pass the license test recently which greatly improves their chances of finding employment! The kids are all back in school and continue to come to the computer lab in the afternoon to receive homework help, tutoring, and a hot meal.

HISTORY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

An operating policy for PID in developing programs or projects in partnership with marginalized communities has always emphasized taking the lead from those very communities, rather than imposing on them our own culturally inappropriate ideas or agendas. Gale held this value dearly, and its ethic resonates with all those who work with PID. For PID's Department of History and Social Justice, this principle bears no less weight; and recent developments in US—Guatemalan relationships emphasize such necessary protocol.

Part of my work as director of PID's History and Social Justice Department involves consulting regularly with social justice scholars and activists from the four regions in which PID operates to understand ways that US State and corporate policies facilitate or hinder struggles for social justice on the ground in those areas. Accordingly, I recently consulted with contacts representing a federation of Mayan activist groups to determine an advocacy position for or against the Biden administration's policy on immigration to the US from Central America. I had perceived the Harris visit to Guatemala, with ensuing State Department directives, as relatively positive because of its emphasis on increasing development aid to address reasons for emigration at the source, rather than just managing a crisis at the border.

However, my Guatemalan friends soon provided insight that reoriented my position. While affirming good intentions behind the US policy, they pointed out its several deficits, all attributable to lack of historical analysis. First, much of the so-called development aid promotes transnational corporate activity that pillages the indigenous community of natural resources and fuels human and environmental rights movements throughout Guatemala. Moreover, the aid proposal also involves generous resources for the military, which the Guatemalan government illegally employs to suppress indigenous protest against the pillaging. Hence, as American citizens in solidarity, our advocacy to US legislators must include the urgency of addressing such policy oversight with disbursement parameters, contingency clauses, and reallocation priorities.

Moreover, my national contacts lamented that such policy deficits could have been avoided with historical analysis of the roles of both the military and transnational corporations in the Guatemalan countryside. Likewise, historical analysis would have exposed US policy oversights in the past that enabled this nexus of domestic military and transnational corporate power to extract and exterminate with genocidal proportions within the Mayan community.

I constantly receive this same lament from social justice scholars and activists representing the other regions in which PID operates. "We think Americans have good hearts and try to promote works of charity and compassion throughout the world. Therefore, we know if they could just better understand the historical and existential impact of their foreign and corporate policy on our regions, they would serve also as allies with us in encouraging those US policies that promote democracy with justice and equity in our regions and correcting those that do not."

For those interested in taking a course or tutorial on the histories and current dynamics of our four PID regions through a social justice lens and becoming such an ally-advocate, send me (james hull) an email— Also for those not able to do full courses or formal tutorials at this time, but have specific questions about an area or areas, I schedule one time phone or zoom conversations — james@pidonline.org

OUR WORK IN GUATEMALA

Josefina Joj Soc is a woman who was born on a farm in San Agustín Ixtacapa, and moved years ago to Concepcion Ixtacapa with her son. She does not have any siblings or close relatives, and her partner of nine years passed away from a heart attack when their son was little. She was able to raise her son as a single mother, but he did not finish school due to some developmental delays and ADHD. Josefina washes clothes for a living but does not make enough money to pay for housing and other expenses. Her son is now an adult; but they struggle to make ends meet, and will never be able to afford a piece of land or home. The community has been helpful with letting her put up a shack of cardboard, tin and scraps for a makeshift home in various people's backyards but it is incon- sistent, and they often have to change locations within the village. This Christmas, through the generous donations of the Masonry Doctor Inc. and other anonymous donors, PID was able to fulfill the dreams of Josefina and her son. A small piece of land was purchased, and a house for Josefina and her son will be built, so that they can have a forever home.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DONATIONS

Thank you to all who donated to Gale's Memorial Fund, totaling $31,892 in memory of Gale Hull.

Thank you to all who donated to the Annual Fund Drive, totaling $7,285 to date.

Thank you to all who donated to Primo Lombardi's Memorial Fund, totaling $2,038 in memory of Primo Lombardi. Barbara Ostberg in memory of Barbara Beaman

Doug & Merrily Buchs in celebration of Gene Case.

Amy Puff in honor and memory of Ann Grinnell.

Katie Krathwohl in memory of Colleen Frey

Linda Barnes in honor of Lizzy Koah

Mary Webber in honor of Karla and Laurel Ruzicka. Deanna Parsi in honor of Carrie Parsi.

Leeanne Moses in honor or her Aunt Cindy

Ruth & Dick Merriam in honor of Janet Manchester. Shizuka Hsieh in honor of Joan Toomey

Douglas Barrington in honor of Mark Robbins & Robin Rhoades Mary Beth Brady in honor of Barbara Wilson

Ellen Tully in honor of her sister, Sarah Tully

Masonry Doctor for land and housing for Josefina Joj

Office Updates, Hours, and Trips

Currently the office is open 9-5, Monday through Friday, although due to COVID some staff continue to work re- motely. If you plan to come to the office, please call ahead at 978-380-6132 to make sure that someone is there. Masks are required, so we thank you in advance for wearing one when you visit.

Currently we are still not doing trips to Haiti, Peru, or Mississippi due to COVID-19. We are doing a limited number of strictly medical trips to Guatemala, while a close eye on COVID stats and precautions for the area. We are reeval- uating on a monthly basis to determine when we will reopen for team travel. Please email info@pidononline.org if you have any questions.

The warehouse is closed for donations at this time as we regroup and wait for teams to start traveling again. We are only accepting monetary donations at this time. For the most current updates on PID and our work, please follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Newsletter – Winter 2022: Facing the Challenges of Today