The Houston Global Awareness Collective, or HGAC, a group of activists from local universities and colleges and various peace and justice groups who want to raise awareness of issues of globalization, the world economy, militarism, class and economic power.  It works with environmental, labor, and other groups to advocate for economic justice, peace, gender and sexual orientation equality, and social justice.  Its main purpose is educational, but HGAC members have also participated in protests and demonstrations for peace and justice throughout the Houston area.

HGAC came together in mid-2001 principally to raise awareness about the corporate global economy and institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization, as well as transnational agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement and pacts to establish a Free Trade Area of the Americas and a Central American Free Trade Agreement.

Since its establishment, HGAC has sponsored a significant number of events, including teach-ins on the environment and labor, U.S. policy in Latin America, Native American issues, and the media.  It has also organized debates and lectures on pressing global issues and has been a major organizer of the "Houston Mobilization Against CAFTA" in the fall of 2003.  It coordinated a series of events after September 11, 2001 about U.S. policy in the Middle East and "the war at home."  Among the speakers sponsored by HGAC were Jennifer Harbury, Phyllis Bennis, Anna and Frances Moore Lappe, the Mexico Solidarity Network representatives, Sandra Alvarez of Global Exchange, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (who organized the Taco Bell Boycott), Aldo Gonzalez of Witness for Peace, Maria Domingo of NISGUA, and, in October 2002, Noam Chomsky.

HGAC will continue its mission to educate and mobilize Houstonians about the power and peril of corporate globalization.

Please join us to raise awareness and work for peace and justice.  For more information, contact hgac@riseup.net or call 832.725.6220 or visit our web page at http://vi.uh.edu/pages/buzzmat/hgac.html