Philanthropy and the Guatemalan Diaspora in the United States

Valia Garzón Diaz, Emerging Leader, International Fellows Program ~ 2002

Abstract

Increasingly, contributions by immigrants to their countries of origin contain not only family remittances but also monies dedicated to solving the social problems faced by the sending community. Valia Garzón Diaz's investigation is based on the need for social and cultural organizations in Guatemala to capitalize on these funds. It examines the potential of the Guatemalan diaspora in the US to support local and national efforts in Guatemala and debates the feasibility applying, to the Guatemalan diaspora, successful models of diaspora philanthropy developed by other groups and organizations. Garzón Diaz's recommendations focus on establishing, maintaining, strengthening relationships with other organizations in the US in order to share experiences and strategies. These include establishing a tie between the Guatemalan artistic community in the United States and the Centro de Investigaciones Regionales De Mesoamérica (CIRMA), as well as strengthening relationships between CIRMA and such diaspora organizations as the BrazilFoundation. A final recommendation involves the importance of finding ways to involve second and third generations of the diaspora in projects in their countries of origin.

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