MAY NEWSLETTER
Partners of the Americas expresses its solidarity with Colombia in the difficult times the country is going through. The unfortunate events reinforce our commitment to continue working with all of the actors of our different initiatives in the sectors in which we work in order, from those spaces, to continue building a peaceful, prosperous, and inclusive Colombia.
  • How to Talk to Your Friends and Family about COVID-19 Vaccines — Read this article by UNICEF to learn how to talk to your loved ones about the importance of and facts about vaccination. (Available in Spanish)
  • COVID-19 Vaccines Explained (May 19, 2021) — Check out the World Health Organization’s (WHO) “Vaccines Explained” series for illustrated articles on vaccine development and distribution. Learn more about vaccines from the rollout in countries to their updated section on how to talk about vaccines. (Available in Spanish and Portuguese)
  • Spotify for Pets — For many people during quarantine, your best friend is your pet. Help your furry friends relieve stress, boost their happiness, and keep them company by creating a music playlist for them based on the music you love. 
Membership Unit
The Membership Unit wants to hear from you! The Unit has prepared a 10-minute survey that will capture your voice and opinions as a member of our network. The survey will help us check in with each of our members from Traditional, Affiliate, and PartnersCampus Student Chapters, as well as Individual, Organization, and Higher Education Institution members, to prepare for better-suited initiatives and programs. Take the survey here.
 
Additionally, the Membership Unit continues to offer informational webinars on how to launch a PartnersCampus Chapter and engage with the PartnersConnect platform. To learn about upcoming opportunities, visit our community calendar or follow us on social media.
 
Are you interested in discussing important issues with like-minded individuals? Want to learn more about programs and initiatives in key areas around the Americas? Join a Community of Practice in PartnersConnect today:
Education and Global Citizenship Unit
Throughout May, the Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund (CDAF) grantees, Natalie Rehberger and Heather Jackson, hosted an AFS-USA Media Literacy virtual speaker series as part of their Media Literacy Campaign project. Panelists from diverse professions discussed how to develop media literacy skills and become a media literacy change maker. From the importance of accessing trustworthy information to taking action through informed civic engagement, this series amplified the importance of media literacy.

This month, the Education & Culture program supported our Florida-Colombia Chapter along with the Fundación Fede to develop a series of workshops for young adults with disabilities. The workshops use art therapy to help these young adults generate income and improve their self-esteem. Students in special education at the Universidad del Atlántico, who were recruited through our PartnersCampus Chapter there, are interning on the project.

Also in May, the Education & Culture Program and the Illinois Chapter invited the Partners network to watch the award-winning film, Empty Space and then join the director and special guests for a PartnersTalks post-screening panel discussion on the topic of “Bullying – A Unique Perspective on Adolescent Frustrations and Connections.” Watch it here.


On May 26 and 27, 2021, the 100,000 Strong in the Americas (100K) Innovation Fund held informational webinars featuring 100K grant recipients for interested applicants to learn more about the 2021 Innovation Fund Grant Competition to Build Partnerships and Training Programs between the United States, Central America, and the Dominican Republic. Applications are due on August 2, 2021.
Child Protection Unit
The CPU’s U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL)-funded Palma Futuro project is reaching an important assessment milestone. Throughout the month, project staff members have been preparing for a mid-term evaluation conducted by IMPAQ International, an external research firm. During the evaluation, which began on May 24, 2021, IMPAQ International will conduct surveys and hold virtual meetings with relevant stakeholders to understand the project's current efforts to improve social compliance systems that promote acceptable conditions of work and reduce child labor and forced labor in the palm oil supply chains within Colombia and Ecuador. Once the evaluation is finalized, the evaluators will hold a virtual stakeholder meeting and workshop to present the initial findings. Based on the evaluation, the CPU team will develop a timeline to incorporate recommendations that will improve its outcomes in support of improved labor conditions in the Palm Oil Industry. Later this year, the project will present a final post-evaluation report to USDOL's Bureau of International Labor Affairs. This evaluation process is an essential step to assess the project's progress to date and identify lessons learned and best practices to support effective implementation of activities in the final two years of the project.
Economic Development and Health Unit
The Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program continues to provide remote technical assistance to the Latin America and the Caribbean region and its F2F core countries. To expand our reach and highlight the innovative service from our remote and local F2F volunteers, the F2F program has created a YouTube channel of trainings and webinars from each of our offices. The channel currently features recorded trainings from our Guatemala and Dominican Republic offices on the ornamental flower value chain, small ruminant production, and forestry management. By publicizing the F2F YouTube channel, Partners' F2F program reaches beneficiaries and local stakeholders who were unable to attend live workshops. Preserving agricultural training content online creates a sustained impact by preserving knowledge and lessons learned on an accessible platform so trainings may be revisited and shared by our diverse and growing F2F network. If you are interested in volunteering with F2F in one of our core countries, please reach out to our recruiting staff at [email protected].
Afro-descendants: Striving for Equality in Latin America
On March 26, 2021, the Inter-American Dialogue and the Inter-American Foundation held an event to discuss the numerous ways COVID-19 has disproportionately hurt Afro-descendant communities in Latin America. While one in four people in Latin America are Afro-descendant, COVID rates for them may be 3-8 times higher than the general population. The Dialogue event reminds us that the need for inclusivity and equitable policies must remain at the forefront of our strategic approach at Partners.
Celebrating Diversity and a Culture of Peace
In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly declared May 21 as the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. According to UNESCO, 75% of the world's largest conflicts have a cultural dimension. Overcoming the division among cultures is necessary to promote a culture of peace, stability, and development among nations. Partners' Affiliate Chapter, Red Espaz Perú, promotes the values of cultural diversity, especially in raising awareness about the importance of intercultural dialogue, diversity, and social inclusion in Peru.  
Check Out These Upcoming Events for June 2021


Open Job Opportunities
Partners of the Americas is hiring! We are currently seeking:
  • Diseñador(a) Web/Ingeniero(a) – Plataforma de Gestión del Conocimiento (Palma Futuro Colombia)
  • Assistant Legal Specialist (Mexico United 2026)
  • Program Assistant (Mexico Awareness)
  • Digital Communications Specialist (Mexico Awareness)
  • Skills Development Specialist (Mexico Awareness)
  • Climate Research Fellow Consultant
  • Accountant (C4D)
  • Administrative Assistant (C4D)
  • Accountant (Juntos Aprendemos)
  • Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Manager (Juntos Aprendemos)
  • Associate Director of Business Development
  • Accountant I, AP/AR
  • Finance and Administration Manager
  • Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Director (Juntos Aprendemos)
  • Human Resources Manager (Juntos Aprendemos)
Open Internship Opportunities
Partners of the Americas is looking for interns! We are seeking:
  • EDH Intern
  • Finance and Accounting Intern
  • Business Management Intern