The seventh edition of Enero Zapatista, which kicked off with a film on human rights in Chiapas on Jan. 5 in Sherman Heights, seeks to educate the public about various community initiatives.

            A network of human rights organizations in San Diego will host a series of events this month inspired by the ideals of the Zapatista movement to empower residents to better their lives.

            “The goal of the events is to shed light on the struggles within our community, in our schools,” said Enrique de la Cruz, member of the San Diego Zapatista Collective, one of the organizations involved in the series.

            “It’s a call for us to organize, to get involved. We are fathers, we are mothers, we are students, we are workers.”

            Among the events planned are documentary screenings, concerts, art exhibitions, and educational panels. Several events, mostly film screenings, will take place in Tijuana.

            Although the series marks the 17th anniversary of the birth of the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, de la Cruz said the focus of the series is to promote the Zapatista philosophy of respect, dignity and self-sufficiency.

            “It’s about organizing our communities to seek a life with more dignity,” said de la Cruz.

            To many, the word Zapatista is synonymous with radicalism and violence. But Pedro Rios, director of the local chapter of the American Friends Service Committee, an organization that supports immigrant rights, said the Zapatista philosophy is pacifist and seeks a diversity of voices.

            “The Zapatista philosophy represents the resistance of peoples who don’t want to be crushed by injustice,” Rios said. “It’s not about taking arms, but about raising your voice and asserting your rights.”

            At the events, tables will offer practical information on community groups that help the needy find medical care, low-cost housing and educational programs.

            Cecilia Ubilla, coordinator of languages and English writing at UC San Diego who last year participated in the series’ inaugural panel discussion, said Enero Zapatista is a way to educate young people about the injustices that happen around them.

            “Young people often have an overly rosy image of life, different from their environment,” Ubilla said. “They think we live in an almost-perfect society.”

            The series wraps up Jan. 29 with a gathering at Balboa Park’s Centro Cultural de la Raza featuring live music, art and dancing.

            This last event proves that social justice can be fun.

            It’s all not about picket lines and political debates and long marches.

            Music, dance, art, and cultura, are also part of trying to earn equal rights for everybody.

            At the closing event there will be dance performances by troupes, such as Mujeres en Resistencia (Women in Resistance) and music acts, such as bilingual hip-hop artist Olmeca.

            There will also be vendors with traditional Mexican food and folk art. Some 350 people are expected to attend.

             “We think it is essential to include music, art, and culture, in Enero Zapatista as forms of expression that help to convey the message of community organization and empowerment here in San Diego,” De la Cruz said.

            The Enero Zapatista closing event represents the culmination of the month-long series of events organized to promote human rights and dignity in working-class communities in San Diego, according to De la Cruz.

            These issues include access to education, affordable housing, and workers’ rights, he said.

            In addition to enjoying art and music with a social consciousness, the cultural event “is also an opportunity for everyone to get involved as parents, students, workers, and community members in the struggles that our communities face locally,” De la Cruz said.

            All events are free, but donations are accepted.

            For more information, please visit enerozapatista.wordpress.com.