Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

Join Us! Public Policy Delegation in Washington DC!

Join CRLN members and friends in a Public Policy Delegation to Washington DC from March 7-10 in collaboration with Ecumenical Advocacy Days!  Whether you are living in Illinois - where we hope to have at least one person attend from each of Illinois' 19 Congressional districts - or are from the CRLN diaspora in other states, we NEED YOU there!  We will join over 1,000 religious advocates from a wide array of Christian communions. Together we'll receive training in both advocacy and on U.S. policies that impact a new vision of true human security, dependent not only on the absence of tension but the presence of justice. The event culminates with lobby visits on Monday to legislators and their staffs.

CRLN invites you to participate with us in the "Latin America Track", and explore how security concerns drive U.S. policy in the region. Latin American civil society leaders will speak on their vision of a security that accounts for human needs and human rights. Workshops will include U.S. military and development programs; Bolivia; Mexico; Colombia; and border enforcement, migrants and border communities. Together, we will then visit with key staffers from Illinois Congressional offices, including both Senators and Representatives, and urge them to support a more just and fair U.S. policy toward Latin America, one that claims a vision of true security. Will you come with us?

Registration

Register online through the Advocacy Days website: http://www.advocacydays.org/. The cost for the 2008 weekend conference is $160, which includes two lunches and Sunday dinner. Registration after February 15th will be $175. Student scholarships are also available. For more information, visit the young adult page on the Advocacy Days website or email scholarships@advocacydays.org. Also, please consider making a donation to a CRLN Ecumenical Advocacy Days scholarship fund.

Conference Site Lodging

All sessions Friday through Sunday will be held at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, which is located across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, in Alexandria, Virginia. Make your reservation under the name "Ecumenical Advocacy Days" for the special $109 (plus tax) per night room rate. The room block is limited so call early! This rate will last until the block is sold-out or until February 15, whichever comes first. To make reservations, call the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel at (877) 783-8258 or (800) 445-8667. If you want to lower your cost by sharing a room, contact Danielle at the CRLN office to pair with a room-mate.

Flights

Please purchase your own airline tickets to Washington National Airport (DCA) - a free shuttle ride away from the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center and right on the Metro subway line.  Non-stop flights on United and American from O'Hare, or ATA from Midway are often under $200 if you buy in advance.  Plan to arrive by Friday evening March 7, and depart Monday March 10 at 5:30 pm or later after the lobby day. 

We Need You!

Will you go with us?  Please contact Danielle Wegman at the CRLN office (773/293-2964 or dwegman@crln.org) if you can go - and to coordinate setting up a visit with your Congressional Rep's DC office for Monday, March 10.