During Argentina’s “Dirty War” of the 1970s and 1980s, it’s estimated that up to 30,000 people who opposed the government were “disappeared” —often tortured and killed. When she was a young law student at Harvard Law School, Lee Boyd (pictured at left with her family and ASJ (formerly known as AJS) staff and beneficiaries) set her aim on working with the families of the victims of this unjust government. She traveled to Argentina and eventually became a part of a U.S. federal court case brought against Argentina by a survivor of government political persecution.
ASJ’ Work Is “Unparallelled” Says Human Rights Lawyer
September 1, 2015
In the early 2000s, after she’d become a law professor at Pepperdine University Law School, Boyd was searching for groups doing similar brave work with which she could connect her students. That’s when she found the Association for a More Just Society (ASJ).
Now as a partner in her own firm, ASJ is grateful for Boyd’s continued support. She gives financially and is assisting in the case against Honduras to the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights for the assassination of Dionisio Diaz Garcia, a labor rights attorney at ASJ.
And she’ll continue that support noting that only together and with God’s guidance can we “fight the good fight to persevere” in the pursuit of justice.
“The more I learned about ASJ … the more I was struck and impressed by the work it was doing…in one of the most difficult places in the world to be a human rights activist. … Very few groups can navigate fighting political corruption at the top echelons of government, at the same time addressing root issues stemming from the culture of poverty within the very communities.” -Lee Boyd
Choosing defiant hope over fear.
Earlier this month, The Banner published a story written by Our Shared Ministr y by Karina Guevara and Elmer Salinas . The authors showcase the work that ASJ-Honduras is doing to help and support students in Honduras. Karina and Elmer tell the story of Genesis Garcia, an 8-year-old, whose family struggles to find consistent jobs. "Genesis Garcia Baquedano is 8 years old and lives with her older brother, Anderson, and their parents in Honduras. Her parents work hard to support their family. Genesis’s father is a painter who struggles to find consistent work, and her mother is a street vendor who spends long hours away from home." According to Karina and Elmer, although Genesis is a good student, she was struggling with reading, writing, and math. This is where the ASJ-Hondurans' program, Strong Communities , comes to be a blessing. "Through God’s grace, Genesis and her family were able to join the Strong Communities program facilitated by World Renew’s local partner, Association for a More Just Society (ASJ, because the Spanish translation is Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa). Through the program, Genesis attended academic support sessions, where she impressed her tutors with her perseverance and enthusiasm. Now, Genesis’s teachers praise the program for the significant progress Genesis has been making at school." We are blessed to be able to help kids like Genesis and her family to be able to achieve their dreams and goals. You can read the full story HERE and learn more about the ASJ-Honduras Strong communities program HERE
Highlights from our 25th Anniversary Celebration in Grand Rapids, MI
MY EMPTY VILLAGE / HOW IMMIGRATION AFFECTS A COMMUNITY (by Sara Pineda)
Young Hondurans have stepped up for democracy (by Blanca Stephanie Elvir)
Reflecting on 25 years of seeking justice together (by Jo Ann Van Engen)
From the Executive Director
What does paused international aid mean for ASJ?
Something Worth Waiting For
Will you walk with us for a more just society?
