To: Colombia Grassroots List

From: Elanor Starmer, Latin America Working Group

Date: May 15, 2003

Re: Calling all Colombia Organizers! Soliciting your help...

As we ready ourselves for the Colombia vote on the foreign aid bill, which

will likely happen in late July or September, I'd like to solicit your help

with a project. I am currently working to put together a database of

organizers and groups from around the country who are working on Colombia.

This database will allow those groups working on Colombia issues in

Washington-- many of whom are in contact with activists around the country

every day-- to get a better sense of where there is strong grassroots

activism on Colombia policy. As we work from our end with representatives

from key congressional districts, it's incredibly helpful for us to know

what's going on in the districts themselves. There are also a number of

groups here who regularly organize national speaking tours with visiting

Colombians, and knowing which areas might be interested in hosting speakers,

and who to contact in those areas, will be very helpful for them.

If you are organizing on Colombia issues in your area, or involved with a

group that is, I would appreciate knowing what you're up to! Please send me

your answers to the following questions (you can e-mail me at

estarmer@lawg.org) and pass this questionnaire on to interested friends or

collegues. Thank you so much for all of your efforts!

1. Name, organization (if applicable), email address, city, state

2. Member of the House of Representatives (you can find out on www.house.gov

or just give us your zip code and we'll do it for you). If you are part of

a group or organization representing multiple districts, please list those

here.

3. What's your (or your group's) level of activity on Colombia issues? Have

you or your group written letters to Congress about Colombia policy? Made

phone calls? Organized an event? Please indicate yes or no and if yes, the

number of times.

4. If you are not already involved with a group, would you be willing and

able to organize a small group of constituents in the district to contact

your Members of Congress about Colombia policy at key moments throughout the

year?

6. What support would you like from organizations working on Colombia (i.e.

someone to speak to a group about Colombia, information on the voting

records of your Members of Congress, background materials on Colombia,

sample letters, reminders about when to call Congress, etc.) ?

Thank you!

Elanor Starmer

Associate for Colombia and Central America

Latin America Working Group

110 Maryland Ave. NE, Box 15

Washington, DC 20002

Tel. 202/546-7010

Fax 202/543-7647

e-mail: estarmer@lawg.org

For updates on US policy toward Latin America, please see our website,

www.lawg.org