Our Story

Indigenous Rights and Environmental Justice in Bolivia from International Ducks on Vimeo.

SIREJ is a collection of UO students, Bolivian indigenous students and UO faculty working in collaboration with Bolivian indigenous communities, both in person and remotely, to support indigenous rights and environmental justice. The organization is connected to the GEO "Indigenous Rights and Environmental Justice in Bolivia" study-abroad program; SIREJ's founding members were participants of the 2019 trip. The idea for the organization was first pitched while we were still in Bolivia, sitting around the table in Paradise Cafe located in Urubichá, Guarayos. Inspired by the community interactions we’d had so far and awed that our experience was almost over, we knew we wanted to continue the collaboration we had participated in and to educate others about what we had learned. From the beginning, we agreed on core values of accountability to our indigenous partners and respect in our practices and communications; these morals are the heart of our organization and direct the ways in which we conduct our projects. 

Together with indigenous community members and professors in Bolivia, SIREJ assists in development of projects such as website creation, marketing assistance, and publicity creation which benefit the communities. Additionally, SIREJ is working with GEO to offer additional support to students preparing to participate in the "Indigenous Rights and Environmental Justice in Bolivia" study-abroad program, such as team-building exercises and camera-use training.

​SIREJ welcomes any who wish to participate and not solely study-abroad program participants.​

Student Testimonials

"The moment I remember most powerfully from our trip was on our second day, in the Lomerío village of Monterito. I was offered the chance to play in a traditional futbol game between two Chiquitano teams for the festival of San Juan, uniform included! The generosity and openness of the people who invited me to that game was echoed throughout the rest of our time in Bolivia; everywhere we went, people were kind and willing to teach us about their communities and ways of life. The connections we made there are even more important now, as SIREJ members collaborate remotely with the people we met in Bolivia."​ ~ Margery Price, SIREJ President 2019-2020

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"I feel very lucky to have traveled to Bolivia on this program. We not only had the opportunity to learn from indigenous leaders about the culture and histories of their nations, but also got to practice authentic allyship by listening and participating in conversations on the issues affecting their communities. Now, as a member of SIREJ, I am collaborating with Guarayo teacher, Julio Yeguaori, to build a website for internationally acclaimed music and handicraft school, Instituto de Formación Integral Coro y Orquesta Urubichá. In the years to come, I hope SIREJ will continue to support and stand in solidarity with the Guarayo and Chiquitano communities that were kind enough to let us visit. " ~ Cally Hutson, Former SIREJ Student Leader

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Elmar Masay Soquere: Chief of the Monkox Nation and  Judith Chuvé Parapaino: Monkox leader in gender equity, territorial management, head of women knitters and handicraft-makers, and former coordinator in the Vice Ministry of Interculturality  

Haley Cowart joined the 2019 Study Abroad group from another university. She was one of ten students selected. In this photo she is seen petting a kitten that would often visit the students during their family meals at Judith and Elmar. Location: Lomerio  

At Judith & Elmar's home. Where students from the 2019 Study Abroad program shared many family meals and treasured memories.