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The Teaching Rebellion speaking tour aims to foster dialogue among activists from Oaxaca and the US around organizing strategies and movement building utilizing the experiences of the Oaxacan organiziers, who brought together labor, indigenous, women's, youth, and neighborhood organizations to build a powerful movement for democracy and accountability. Speaker Silvia Hernádez will join us from Mexico, accompanied by co-facilitator and translator Chris Thomas, to speak about the book, present art and photography from Oaxaca and promote discussion and reflection on the former and current political climate in Oaxaca and its relevance to everyone organizing in their own communities.

Silvia Hernádez, a sociology student active in the barricades and in defense of Radio Universidad when it was under attack by state police, continues to actively organize for autonomous spaces and alternatives to the state's neoliberal development plans. She was arrested on July 16, 2007 when the Oaxacan social movement sought to occupy the Guelaguetza auditorium to carry out the traditional Guelaguetza festival, and spent nearly a month as a political prisoner. She belongs to VOCAL-Voces Oaxaquenas Construyendo Autonomìa y Libertad (Oaxacan Voices Constructing Autonomy and Liberty) and gives workshops in recycled art and urban agriculture.

Chris Thomas spent two years collaborating with groups working in the autonomous school system being developed in the Zapatista communities in the La Garrucha region where he worked with to develop teaching materials and reinforce the ongoing development of community educators in the region. He coordinated C.A.S.A. de la Paz from 2006-2007, and can generally be found somewhere between New York and Mexico.

"Once You Learn To Speak, You Don't Want To be Quiet Anymore."

In 2006, Oaxaca, Mexico came alive with a broad and diverse movement that captivated the nation and inspired communities organizing for social justice around the world. Fueled by long ignored social contradictions, what began as a teachers' strike demanding more resources for education quickly turned into a massive movement that demanded direct, participatory democracy. Hundreds of thousands of Oaxacans raised their voices against the abuses of the state government. They participated in marches of

up to 800,000 people, planned strategy over the barricades, occupied government buildings, took over radio stations, held sit-ins, and reclaimed spaces for public art and altars for assassinated activists. In the now legendary March of Pots and Pans, two thousand women peacefully took over and operated the state television channel for three weeks. All this despite the fierce repression that the movement faced—with hundreds arbitrarily detained, tortured, forced into hiding, or murdered by government forces and paramilitary death squads. And the Oaxacan people are still determined to make their voices heard.

Accompanied by photography and political art, Teaching Rebellion is a compilation of testimonies from longtime organizers, teachers, students, housewives, religious leaders, union members, schoolchildren, indigenous community activists, artists and journalists—and many others who participated in what became the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca. This is a chance to listen directly to those living and driving one of the most important social uprisings of the 21st century.

" Teaching Rebellion presents an inspiring tapestry of voices from the recent popular uprisings in Oaxaca. The reader is embraced with the cries of anguish and triumph, indignation and overwhelming joy, from the heart of this living rebellion."
Peter Gelderloos, author of How Nonviolence Protects the State

"These remarkable people tell us of the historic teachers' struggle for justice in Oaxaca, Mexico, and of the larger, hemispheric battle of all Indigenous people to end five hundred years of racism and repression."
Jennifer Harbury, author of Truth, Torture and the American Way

" During their marches and protests, whenever the Oaxaca rebels sighted a reporter, they would chant: "Press, if you have any dignity, the people of Oaxaca demand that you tell the truth." Teaching Rebellion answers that demand, with ample dignity, providing excellent context to understand the 2006 uprising and extensive and eloquent interviews with the participants themselves; an amazing read and an important contribution to the literature of contemporary rebellion."
John Gibler, author of Mexico Unconquered: Chronicles of Power and Revolt