San Francisco/Mexico City Partners of the Americas  
 

Latest News Flash:  1999 Action Agenda now online
 

Who We Are

The National Association of Partners of the Americas, Inc. (POA)  is a
volunteer-based organization that promotes economic and social
development in Mexico, Central America, South America and the
Caribbean while fostering inter-American friendships and cooperation.
Founded in 1964 during the Kennedy administration, POA
created an alliance not of government of diplomats, but of citizens
farmers, teachers, doctors, engineers, students, scientists, journalists,
homemakers and business people. Over the last three decades, it has
grown to be the largest private organization of its kind in the
Western Hemisphere with over 20,000 volunteers who are involved
in 60 partnerships in 31 Latin American and Caribbean Nations. POA
is the national coordinating and funding body for the
60 local  Partnerships.  Each has a northern and southern
chapter--120 organizations in all.

Approximately 15 chapters are located in the Western US.
Each has an established relationship with a counterpart in
Mexico or Latin America or Central America.  Each maintains its
own membership, projects, and funding base.  The two sides of a
partnership work together to carry out a wide range of activities
to improve the quality of life and natural resources for mutual benefit.
We are independent non-profits linked by our association with POA,
and meet the chartering standards of the "Pursuit of Excellence",
developed by the Partnerships in conjuction with the national organization.

In all its activities Partners network of volunteers and community
organizations:

* Promote citizen participation
* Mobilizes hemispheric collaboration
* Trains community leaders
* Strengthens local non governmental organizations.

Youth Environmental Service Exchange
 

San Francisco Bay Area/Mexico City
Partners of the Americas

The San Francisco Bay Area / Mexico City Partners of the
Americas is a unique international organization whose purpose
it is to enhance knowledge, understanding and personal relationships
between the people of the greater Bay Area and Mexico City and
the surrounding Estado de Mexico.  Projects and programs are
planned and implemented with collaboration and participation of
both sides of the Partnership.  Active new members are welcomed.

Common areas of technical and socio-cultural cooperation include:

  environment
  civic education and democracy
  disability
  health
  youth
  women in development
  education
  art and culture
  disaster preparation.

The San Francisco Bay Area-Mexico City Chapter is a registered
501c(3) corporation established in California in 1975.  We work
with the Mexico/San Francisco Campaneros de las Americas,
an "Association Civil" in Mexico.  Over 40 active members and
hundreds of past participants in our exchange programs are led
by a Board of Directors, an Executive Committee and eight Program
Committees.  Projects include:

 * Producing  Migrations , an educational video about the
economic and environmental   problems common to Mexico and California.
  * Collaborating on natural resource and watershed restoration
programs in Mexico and Northern California.
  *  Bringing cultural exhibits to the US, including
an ‘artists in residence’ program.
  * Helping to rebuild two schools and start a revolving loan
program which helped over 100   small businesses
after the 1985 earthquakes in Mexico.
  * Sponsoring an AIDS conferennce in Mexico City
  * An on-going  Youth in Environmental Service Exchange Program.
This project has   involved staff of the Golden Gate National
Recreation Area, Marin Conservation Corps,   California
Conservation Corps, Marin County Office of Education,
the 4-H and other groups.
  *On-going professional exchanges.  In the past we have
collaborated with the Point Reyes   National Seashore,
San Francisco State University, California Division of Forestry,
Sacramento Tree Foundation, Planet Drum, the
League of Women Voters and others.

Exchange Group overlooking Mono Lake
 

Recent Partnership News (December 1998)

The Executive Committee of the SF/Mexico Partners has decided that
in order to fully develop and restore the Partnership's membership
and networking potential we must:

a. establish linkages with other non-profit environmental
and international organizations.
b. establish an office in San Francisco at the Presidio
staffed by part-time interns.
c. raise support and funds for our California/Mexico programs
during a time of increasing interest and concern with this
important relationship.
d. develop a larger active membership
e. establish a broader funding base
f. become more involved in information transfer via
internet, newsletters, email, membership services, and
international teleconferencing
g. host a series of open houses and workshops during 1999,
culminating in a meeting addressing population issues.
This will be held in November 1999 at the Partners of the
Americas International Convention in Mexico City.

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