Committee on US-Latin American Relations (CUSLAR)
The Committee on U.S.-Latin American Relations (CUSLAR) seeks justice and mutual understanding between the U.S. and Latin America.
The Committee on U.S.-Latin American Relations (CUSLAR) works for peace, justice, and greater mutual understanding in U.S.-Latin American relations through education, solidarity and support of human rights. CUSLAR supports the right of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean to self-determination, and supports their efforts to free themselves from a legacy of colonialism, exploitation, and oppression.
The Problem
Many want to make a difference or make change in some way, be it in economic, political, environmental or cultural spheres, on the level of neighborhoods or at the level of policy. However, the general public and policymakers alike have difficulty making sense of increasingly complicated realities in the hemisphere.
The Strategy
CUSLAR is a Cornell-University based educational organization that brings together students, researchers and social movement leaders from around the Americas to grapple with pressing issues. Different constituencies learn from each other, drawing lessons from history and current events to inform social action.
The Team
CUSLAR Coordinator
Yéssica Martínez is a poet and educator originally from Medellín, Colombia. She migrated to the U.S at 10 years old and grew up in Queens, NY. In 2015, she graduated from Princeton University with degrees in Comparative Literature, Creative Writing and Latin American Studies. She holds a masters in Creative Writing from Cornell and continues to be involved with local, migrant-led organizing efforts in New York City.
CUSLAR Advisory Board
The CUSLAR Advisory Board is made up of Ithaca-based community members, many of whom have affiliations at Cornell University and Ithaca College.
- Sally Wessels
- Mary Jo Dudley
- Alicia Swords
- Pamela Sertzen
- Enrique González-Conty
- Shannon Gleeson
Kenneth Roberts
CUSLAR Students
Undergraduate and graduate students are the backbone of CUSLAR and have been for over half a century. Students can have a range of affiliations with the organization, ranging from membership in the CUSLAR Student Club to volunteers to work-study interns. CUSLAR has students from Cornell University and Ithaca College.
Contact information
Yéssica Martínez
cuslar@cornell.edu
cuslarspanishcamp@gmail.com
Fundraisers
Fundraiser by CUSLAR Committee on US-Latin American
End-of-the Year CUSLAR Fundraiser 2025
We are writing to request your support during this critical period of transition in U.S-Latin American relations. The U.S escalation of military actions across the region—from the rapid expansion of U.S. military presence in Puerto Rico, to engaging in unprovoked and unsanctioned bombings that resulted in the murder of 80 people off the coast of Venezuela and Colombia in violation of the Wars Power Act. The military build up is taking place with little mention in the media, and the only legislative action to date focuses on maintaining the most minimal protections. The Trump administration claims these lethal attacks on civilian vessels are justified under a "non-international armed conflict" with narco-terrorist organizations, however these operations actually represent extrajudicial executions that violate international human rights law, conducted without congressional authorization. These actions are far from unprecedented, since they represent long-standing imperialist and interventionist actions in Latin America and the Caribbean that CUSLAR has challenged throughout our 60 year history. Today, CUSLAR is at a turning point. We are proud of our ongoing student organizing, thrilled to introduce our new coordinator, and excited to celebrate our 60th anniversary. At the same time, we must raise $10,000 by December 31, 2025, to cover our operating expenses . As such, we are calling on Cuslareñes to offer financial support to ensure CUSLAR can continue its mission of promoting peace, justice, and mutual understanding between the people of the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean through education and solidarity. Your donation will support the continued engagement of CU and IC students, faculty, community members and former CUSLAR members in fulfilling this mission through political analysis, advocacy and education. Your generosity also makes possible the continuation of activist-led, political education events that can cut through the media fog and help us understand how we can best support grassroots efforts on the ground. Finally, your support will help ensure the vitality of our Cuslareño community, as we strive to engage former members to promote intergenerational gatherings and collaborations to devise actionable steps against interventionist policies in Latin America. Given the urgency of this moment, both for U.S/ Latin American relations, and our own organization, we are inviting you to make a tax-deductible donation. Your End-of-Year donation will help us curate a series of well informed, thought provoking discussion groups to share information and expert political analysis with the larger goal of promoting actions to challenge U.S. interventionist policies and practices that jeopardize the sovereignty and well being in Latin America and the Caribbean. Your contribution will thus ensure the continuity of CUSLAR while simultaneously bringing together the expertise of 6 decades of knowledge among our CUSLAR community. Please help us entrust the knowledge and social justice saber CUSLAR has cultivated to future generations. You can donate here: https://www.every.org/cuslar-cta Or via the Center for Transformative Action website here: https://www.centerfortransformativeaction.org/projects Or by check addressed to “Center for Transformative Action” with CUSLAR in the memo line and mailed to: CUSLAR 548 College Ave, Ithaca, NY 14850 Ithaca, NY 14850 USA All donations are tax deductible.
- Raised
- $0
- Goal
- $10,000
Donors
Marcie Ley1