Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

Human Rights Defender Seeks Temporary Refuge in Chicago

CRLN welcomes human rights defender Cipriana Jurado and her children (Victor and Isabel) to Chicago.  With Luther Memorial Church in Chicago and First United Church of Oak Park, CRLN is hosting the family in Chicago for the next few months.   Cipriana has worked as an advocate for the labor rights of women and for economic and environmental justice for more than 20 years. In the mid-90's, she founded the Center for Information and Solidarity for Working Women (CISO), a non-profit organization.  

Cipriana has undertaken investigations of human rights violations committed by Mexico's Army, which has been deployed by President Calderon across Mexico - but especially in Juárez - since 2008 to reduce the flow of drugs into the USA. Because of this work, Cipriana received death threats and one of her colleagues was killed.  In January 2010, Amnesty International released an alert asking the international community to protect Cipriana and other human rights defenders in Juárez from intimidation and death threats. She has come to Chicago seeking temporary refuge from these threats.

Get Involved 

If you would like to hear more of Cipriana's story and work defending human rights in Mexico, consider inviting her to speak to your community, organization or place of worship. Please place all requests for speaking engagements to the Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (CRLN) and it's immigration project, the Chicago New Sanctuary Coalition (CNSC). You can call us at (773) 293-2964 or email us at espilde@crln.org

Cipriana's Own Words

My name is CiprianaJurado Herrera.

I was born in Meoqui, Chihuahua. I have two children. 

Victor Daniel, who is ready to enter the university to study law, is a greatson.  He helps me in my work for HumanRights, he always says, just be careful.

My daughter Isabel is in elementary school, a very active girl who likes to dance. She is in Acrojazz and ballet, and she likes to paint. She goes everywhere with me, but she tells me "I just don't want to go where the soldiers are, they frighten me."

I came to live in Ciudad. Juarez when I was twelve years old, to look for work in the maquiladoras.I started when I was 13, the same as many young people of that time, I altered my birth certificate to be able to work. The minimum legal age was 16, but I started when I was 13. My father had an accident, he worked loading things in the mercado, and afterward he couldn't work for many years. Since he was a day worker he didn't have social security, and we were left without resources.

I started to work organizing my co-workers, so that we would have a cafeteria where we could warm our lunch. I have participated in the movement since I was young, taught by my grandmother, who was a very wise woman.  She was a healer in Jimenez; we went to live with her when my mom died, since we were very small. I was 6 years old, and my brothers were even smaller, the youngest was only a few months old.

I have worked as a human rights defender, for labor rights of women and economic and environmental justice for more than 20 years.  I have built my home over the years, starting from the ground up. It also has an office area that we use for the work and activities of the Center for Information and Solidarity for Working Women (CISO) the civil non-profit organization that I founded in the mid 90's.  CISO has received many grants over the years for its work in Juarez and the surrounding communities.

I also work as a secretary at the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juarez, where I am a secretary for the Fine Arts Department. The administration has been very tolerant and supportive of my commitments and leadership role as an activist in the community, allowing me flexibility to travel and attend conferences and meetings outside of Juarez.

I am currently handling several cases of human rights violations committed by the Mexican Army and the Federal Preventative Police, all of these cases are also being followed by Amnesty International. These cases have made it through the system and are now being investigated by the Secretary of Defense.

In May, CISO will begin to offer cultural workshops for youth, boys, and girls. The workshop program is sponsored by a grant for the Institute of Cultureof the State of Chihuahua. They will include photography, painting, drawing, guitar and journalism.

I have traveled to several countries representing CISO in meetings for human rights, climate change, gender issues, femicide, labor rights, and sustainable development programs for small farmers and environmental justice.

Mi nombre es CiprianaJurado Herrera

Nací en  Meoqui Chihuahua,tengo dos hijos

Víctor Daniel quien esta a punto deentrar a la universidad a estudia leyes es un gran hijo me apoya en mi trabajopor los derechos humanos, siempre me dice ten cuidado nomás

Mi hija Isabel esta en primaria esuna niña muy inquieta le gusta bailar esta en Acro jazz y ballet además legusta pintar me acompaña a todos lados pero me dice nomás no quiero ir dondeestén los soldados me dan miedo

Desde los 12 años llegue a vivir aciudad Juárez a buscar trabajo en las maquilas entre a los 13 años igual quemuchas jóvenes de esa época altere mi acta de nacimiento para poder entra yaque ladead minima era de 16 años entre a los 13 ya que mi papa sufrió unaccidente en su trabajo y no podía trabajar durante muchos años y como no teniaseguro social  nos quedamos sin recursos

Allí empecé a trabajar organizando a mis compañeras por tener una cafetería donde calentar el lonche

Desde chica he participado en elmovimiento por enseñanza de mi abuelita ella era una mujer muy sabia eracurandera en Jiménez nos fuimos a vivir con ella cuando murió mi mama ya éramosmuy chicos yo tenia 6 años y mis hermanos eran mas chicos que yo el peque teniaapenas unos meses