The Narco News Bulletin

Help Hundreds of Youths from Your Community and the World to Be Happier and More Effective

Heroes Exist: You Only Have to Look in the Mirror

By Edwin Álvarez
Class of 2010, School of Authentic Journalism

June 1, 2010
This report appears on the internet at http://www.narconews.com/Issue65/article4132.html

Dear Readers of Narco News,

While I was clearing some fish to prepare a succulent seafood soup, I thought of some of the stupendous moments that I lived in the School of Authentic Journalism, as there, too, I had the good fortune to prepare together with my compañeros some grilled fish and enjoy them during a dinner in Puerto Morelos.

Edwin Álvarez, with Quetzal Belmont, working the documentary filmmaking group camera at the 2010 School of Authentic Journalism in Mérida, Yucatán. Photo: D.R. 2010 Jill Freidberg

Just like Narco News and the School of Authentic Journalism have changed my life it can also change the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people and their family forever.

You may ask yourself how did that happen? The abilities and skills that I acquired in the School of Authentic Journalism have served me as a jumping off point to be able to help thousands of people in my community, my country and the World.

My name is Edwin Alvarez. I am garífuna, a member of the community that just commemorated 213 years of presence in Honduras and Central America this past April 12. The 213-year anniversary allowed us to know what happened in the past and what we can do today and toward the future (where we are and where we are going). It traced the route toward the re-vindication of our rights and the development of the Afro-Honduran community.

My role in all this was in the work of publicity, publishing and promotion in the media so that this and other activities would be successful.

In fact, as we looked back at it from inside the Organization of Ethnic Community Development (ODECO, in its Spanish initials), of which I am a member, the struggle continues and the use of the tools that facilitate this organizing movement in search of resolution of conflicts and effective strategies was one of the reasons that motivated me to apply for the Narco News School of Authentic Journalism.

The same thing that happened to me could happen to you, to become a channel for hundreds or thousands of youths in your community and the world to transform without a doubt your life and theirs forever.

You've already boarded the boat of this gigantic project of Narco News and its School of Authentic Journalism, that every day develops new tactics and with them bring new responsibilities and hard work. And that's why I hope you will keep up your generosity and solidarity.

Please consider making a contribution so that more lives like mine will continue to be changed. You can do that online at this link:

http://www.authenticjournalism.org

Or you can send your contribution to:

The Fund for Authentic Journalism
PO Box 1446
Easthampton, MA 01027

Has anyone ever told you that you are a hero? Well, for me, you are. Not only for your financial contributions that may give but also a hero is one who knows how to trust in his own heart, surpass his fears, to touch thousands of lives. The hero knows what to do and when to do it.

Sincerely,

Edwin Álvarez
Class of 2010, School of Authentic Journalism