Madison Arcatao Sister City Project (MASCP)

05/26/2026

Claudia, Barbara, Colleen & TJ (left to right), all 2026 MASCP delegates to Arcatao, visited with Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway (center) & her assistant, Laila D’Costa recently. They talked about their experiences in El Salvador & brought the Mayor beautiful 40th anniversary gifts from the community council in Arcatao.

04/30/2026

Following up on our recent travels to El Salvador, we wanted to share that the Junta Directiva (city council) in Arcatao sent us home with this beautiful plaque for the City of Madison. It commemorates our 40 years of solidarity. It shows Arcatao on one side with a road leading directly to Madison on the other side. We'll be delivering it to Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway with other generous presents! Someday you'll be able to see them displayed along with other sister city treasures in the Mayor's office.

04/23/2026

Many of you will have followed us to & from El Salvador this month. Perhaps an interest in learning more cross border solidarity between the US & El Salvador was piqued. One way to address that would be to check out the U.S.- El Salvador Sister Cities & MASCP websites. Another even more powerful way, would be to attend the USESSC National Gathering – a gathering of all US cities partnered with a community in El Salvador. It will be held in Philadelphia, October 9-11, 2026 & will be the first in-person gathering since COVID. It will include inspired workshops & spirited conversations about the role of organizing & sistering in the current political reality. We would love to have you join us!! For more information reach us at: [email protected].

04/18/2026

Madison, WI. We are all safely home from El Salvador. We had quite a rich & memorable trip. Now it is time to rest, reflect & then return to working for social justice, human rights, ecological sustainability & peace. We each had something that was foremost in our minds as we left Arcatao. Some of the "budding" ideas are to: bring a delegation of politicians & journalists to El Salvador; learn more about the Catholic Worker Movement's war tax resistance; talk with friends & family about our experience; go to the U.S.- El Salvador Sister Cities National Gathering in October; help build back the embroidery project; & continue to bring more young people into this work. We will also host a Report Back on the trip over the summer & celebrate the MASCP 40 year relationship stateside. We hope you will choose to partner with us on many of these endeavors. Many thanks to all who supported the trip materially & with warm thoughts.

04/15/2026

From Mary Kay, a delegate from the very first group representing Madison to visit Arcatao 40 years ago.

04/15/2026

April 15, 2026. Dallas. Our group keeps getting smaller as Jeff leaves for Binghamton, Colleen, Kyle & Laura board a bus to Guatemala, Barbara on to Mexico, & Zulma & Olivia, our amazing guides with U.S.- El Salvador Sister Cities go back to work in San Salvador. Claudia, Emma, TJ, Derek & Joan were delayed a day in Dallas, but are leaving for Madison soon.... all with great memories & renewed motivation.

04/14/2026

April 14, 2026. El Salvador. As our trip to El Salvador is coming to a close, we are back in San Salvador. U.S.- El Salvador Sister Cities encouraged us to reflect on our experiences during the past week together visiting both El Charcón & Arcatao. The patio of the guest house in San Salvador provided the perfect place to share, to deepen & evaluate the “roses, thorns & buds” of our experiences… roses for highlights, thorns for challenges & buds for “what comes next?”

04/14/2026

April 13, 2026. Arcatao, ES. At the Casa Hogar, a meeting place for elders in Arcatao, we met two people who remembered the first delegation from Madison in 1987. They are are Dom Francisco & Maria Santos. Maria did the cooking for the group from Madison in Maria Chichilco’s house! It was very moving to meet them & hear their stories.

04/14/2026

April 12, 2026, Arcatao, ES. The director of the community radio station, Nelson Ayala not only broadcasts on the local community radio station, Radio Farabundo Marti, he also gathers video & testimony throughout the community to preserve historical memory. What a tremendous resource!! You can follow him and the activities in Arcatao at: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AzZDuy32M/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Radio Farabundo Martí es un medio de comunicación alternativo que recoge la Memoria Histórica de las comunidades organizadas de Chalatenango.
Buscarnos potenciar la democracia participativa, atreves de espacios comunitarios y de solidaridad.

04/14/2026

April 14, 2026, El Salvador. As MASCP's travels to El Salvador are about to wind up, the leaders within U.S.- El Salvador Sister Cities have posted some photos from the week. How appreciative we have been of their leadership, guidance & accompaniment throughout.