On September 26th, the one-year anniversary of the forced disappearance of the 43 Ayotzinapa students from the Raúl Isidro Burgos Rural Teachers’ College in Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico, activists and colleagues are holding a series of special events beginning on Friday, September 25th through Sunday, September 27th, as fits this somber occasion.

According to independent investigators from GIEI (Grupo Interdisciplinar de Expertos Independientes de la CIDH, Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos de la OEA – Organización de Estados Americanos), it has been proven that it was scientifically impossible to have burned the 43 students in the Colula garbage dump as the government insists; therefore, it seems that if the state did not perpetrate criminal activities, then at least drug cartels were in collusion with Mexico’s corrupt government. To prove such subterfuge, Mexico has not authorized experts to question their army, and access to several key security areas have been blocked by the government’s Minister of Defense.

Thus, anger and grief among the parents is unbearable, all over again, and human rights activists are incensed and working hard to reverse what seems to be the government’s toxic inertia. In the Dallas/Fort Worth region, activists have met at the Puente Blanco — the Continental Avenue Bridge in Dallas — every month since this painful event occurred. But on this anniversary date, events are planned for the entire weekend not only to bring awareness to everyone of all languages in the metroplex concerning the horrid circumstances surrounding Mexico, but also to show the culture and beauty of the region that is so predominant, which should likewise be celebrated.

To begin this solemn occasion, on the eve of this anniversary date, Friday, September 25th at 7pm, at UT Arlington School of Architecture, 601 W. Nedderman Drive, Room 205, the Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS) with the help of Adjunct Justice, will show the documentary film, Ayotzinapa: Crónica de un crimen de estado/Chronicle of a State Crime, with subtitles in English. This powerful film, by renowned director Xavier Robles, explores the still unsolved case of these 43 students. It weaves a compelling narrative through a tapestry of witnesses, experts, student survivors, and parents of the massacred in Guerrero.

After paying for initial costs, all contributions from the film will go to the improvement of the teacher training college to enhance these students’ education and quality of life as well as to the parents of the forcibly disappeared students.

Snippets of the film will be shown on Saturday as well.

On the actual anniversary date, Saturday, September 26th, again at 7pm, danzantes calling themselves Ollin Tonantzil will begin the anniversary commemoration with an Aztec dance revering the goddess of the earth. Next, Sara Caballero from Arlington will recite her poetry, and then the main focus of the evening will begin with a presentation by En Pie de Lucha. This group commenced by doing street performances, and with the direction of Carlos Ortega, they have been perfecting their art to perform a piece entitled Los jóvenes que se convirtieron en semillas/The Youth Who Became Seeds.

As a special anniversary observance, this weekend the Ballet Folklorico, with participation from the dance workshop Artes sin Fronteras, under the tutelage of Lilia Gutiérrez, will join En Pie de Lucha in their performance. They will present two dances during the play, one of them La danza de los viejitos/The Dance of the Old Men, a traditional folk dance from the state of Michoacan and the other La bruja/The Witch, from Veracruz. Additionally, they will perform a stand-alone dance later in the evening, El Querreque, from Taumaulipas, to represent various regions of Mexico.

Patricia Urbina will also present Viva la vida con Frida Kahlo.

There will be live painting presented by Juan & Karla, as well as artist Gloria Rosales, who stands with activists every month on the 26th, showing her exquisite art.

At the end of the night, Eduardo Banda will close with a few words to raise spirits on this sad day. Hoping for rejuvenation, new beginnings, and new findings, Edelmira Rosario will ask all to join her for a few moments of silent meditation accompanied with music. All will then release 43 balloons out into the heavens, wishing for their desperate cries of justice to be heard, so that others will join them in reflection. In this way, maybe all will hear their cry for justice one day.

The performance Los jóvenes que se convirtieron en semillas will again be presented on Sunday, September 27th, at noon, at San Juan Diego Catholic Church, 10919 Royal Gable Drive, in Dallas.

For information, please contact:

Ana M. Fores Tamayo mayari.services@gmail.com

Andrés L. Pacheco Sanfuentes migrantjustice@member.fsf.org