By Community Action for Justice in the Americas (CAJA)
With a heavy heart we want to let you know of Scott Nicholson’s death.
Scott Nicholson ( 7.11.1958-6.24.2017)
Scott un hombre de la gente Presente!
Many of us were compatriots in the struggle with Scott. We each have incredible memories, stories. He was a teacher, mentor and learned we always learned so much together in our work. For those who did not get to work with Scott here is a brief bio of some of his work. Not at all complete but
Scott dedicated his life to social justice. He began his work in El Salvador during the 1980’s accompanying people returning to their homes after they were displaced by the army during the fighting. During his time in Missoula, Scott was one of the founders of Community Action for Justice in the Americas (CAJA) in 2000. He was also an organizer with the Montana Human Rights Network. He was a recipient of the Missoula Peacemaker of the Year Award in 2002. In 2004 he left Missoula to spend seven years to work to bring the truth about the U.S. involvement in the war in Colombia to Montana and the Northwest United States. He worked with civil society organizations in Colombia, accompanying labor leaders and community leaders to protect them from murder by the right wing paramilitary. In 2008 Scott received a Montana Amnesty International Award for his human rights work. In 2011 he began working with Global Ministries’ Home of Hope and Peace (Hogar de Esperanza y Paz) community center in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. A movement of women and children that are working to create peace and justice in Nogales, Mexico. Un movimiento de mujeres y niñ@s que están luchando para crear la paz con justicia en Nogales, Limpal Mexico Limpal
Scott spent 28 years of solidarity and accompaniment with our sisters and brothers of Latin America.
Scott un abrazo fuerte. Presente!
Hoy nacerás del pueblo como entonces.
Today, as then, you’ll be born of the people.
~Pablo Neruda’s poem Insurgent America (1800) America Insurrecta
Scott un abrazo fuerte. Presente!
¡El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!
The people united will never be defeated!
Thank you for the wonderful tribute! I cannot tell you how much it means to me to read these tributes and know how important my brother’s life meant to so many. I know how much it meant to me, and my father, but Scott was so humble, I had an idea, but not really…… I am so touched……
I was fortunate to meet Scott in the midst of justice work of the United Church of Christ in Montana. He was an inspiration to me and many others. I marveled at his strength of conviction and his courage as he described his work. It was clear that he often risked his life standing up as a “Gringo” to defend indigenous people. He delivered stirring programs about his work as he traveled around the state, and he was a wonderful translator for visiting representatives of South American justice causes.
SCOTT DOUGLAS NICHOLSON — UN HOMBRE DE LA GENTE — ¡PRESENTE!
As I said years and years ago when Scott and I were both speakers in Bozeman at a human rights conference, Scott was one of my heroes.
He was one of the most courageous and compassionate and loving peace and justice makers this world has seen — and I thank God for his life.
I was honored to know Scott and admire his great work for several decades as he worked courageously and with great compassion for human rights and peace and justice in Honduras, in El Salvador, in Colombia, on the U.S. border in Mexico and here in Montana.
~ Frank Kromkowski, Co-Coordnator, Helena Service for Peace and Justice, https://www.facebook.com/HelenaSERPAJ/