BY JOAN PALTRINERI

GREENSBORO, North Carolina - "The MST is a parallel struggle worlds away," said Marcus Tillery, speaking to the 60 people who turned out here June 20 to hear José Brito of the Movement of Landless Rural Workers of Brazil. Tillery was representing those who are fighting to stop foreclosures on Black family farms in North Carolina. Among those attending the meeting were environmental activists, members of UNITE Local 2603 at the Kmart distribution center, and supporters of framed-up Black activist Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Brito described the mobilization earlier this year, where peasants from three different regions in Brazil converged on the capital demanding land, jobs, and justice and were joined by tens of thousands of students, unemployed workers, homeless people from the cities, unions, political parties and church groups. "This was an important show of support," said Brito.

The next day Brito spoke to a meeting of 21 people in Tillery, sponsored by the Black Land Loss Fund and the Concerned Citizens of Tillery, two organizations that are challenging the racist practices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which has led to large numbers of foreclosures of Black family farms. The Brazilian activist also visited the farm of Matthew Grant, 78, one of the Black farmers fighting foreclosure.

Joan Paltrineri is a member of UNITE Local 2603.

BY CANDACE WAGNER

WASHINGTON, D.C. - "In Brazil there are many without land and there is a lot of land," José Brito explained to an audience of 50 at All Souls Church here June 26. "There is money to settle families on the land. The Brazilian government pays $15 billion every year to pay off the foreign debt. It pays millions to the private banks so that they don't go bankrupt every year. It is not lack of money, it is lack of political will on the part of the government."

One participant at the meeting asked about the role of women in the movement. Brito responded, "Women play a big role in the resistance. We organize the work in the settlements so that women can also participate, both in production and in the leadership and organization."

Another participant in the meeting said he had just visited a group of African-American prisoners in Baltimore, Maryland. The prisoners were interested in Brito's tour and wanted to know the extent of poverty in Brazil and also about struggles of Afro-Brazilians. Ribeiro said 63 percent of all Brazilians live below the official poverty rate. He also described prison overcrowding and a prison rebellion last year that left 111 people dead. "In recent years Black consciousness has grown," Ribeiro said. "We have begun to reconquer and create more awareness of African values and culture. In our movement it is a majority of Blacks who struggle for land."

Leslie Salgado, of the Howard County Friends of Central America, chaired the event and gave a fund pitch. Twenty people wrote letters protesting the frame-up of MST leader José Rainha.

Brito also met with 20 participants in the "Justice for Janitors" campaign organized by Local 82 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Radio Boriquen broadcast an interview with Ribeiro and the Washington D.C. weekly El Tiempo Latino sent a reporter and photographer to a press conference chaired by Mauricio Vazquez of SEIU Local 82.

Candace Wagner is a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 27.

BY RUTH ROBINETT

NEW YORK - About 60 people turned out for a June 27 meeting at the headquarters of Hospital Workers Union Local 1199 to hear José Brito speak on the fight for land and justice in Brazil. José Mata, from the union's Adult Education Department, welcomed people to the event.

Alissa Pines, an organizer for the United Farm Workers Union in New York City is gathering support for the UFW's efforts to organize strawberry workers in California. She closed the program with an appeal for funds. "Listening to José I understand the importance of people in the cities participating in the struggle in California and Brazil. We must rise up on behalf of workers when they are fired, harassed, or refused a contract," Pines said.

At the invitation of Father Castle, Brito addressed the Spanish-language mass at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Harlem on June 29. He also visited the office of District Council 17 of AFSCME, one of the unions that sponsored his meeting, and spoke to staff members about the struggle for land in Brazil and the case of Jose Rainha, Jr.

Ruth Robinett is a member of the United Transportation Union.

BY FRED FELDMAN

NEWARK, New Jersey - Brazilian peasant leader José Brito concluded his U.S. speaking tour June 30, addressing a meeting at the Communidade Crista Presbiteriana church attended by 30 activists and others from the growing Brazilian community here. Cibele Kuss, a Brazilian student, chaired the meeting. Rev. Renato Bernardes introduced Brito and provided translation. "Why are we hosting this?" Bernardes asked. "The main reason is that we don't know enough about this struggle."

Brito also got a warm welcome when he addressed several hundred people at a parish festival at St. James Church. Some members of the church belonged to the MST or the Workers Party of Brazil before emigrating to the United States. Nine people there signed up to help in defending framed-up MST leader José Rainha.