My first protest :)

So there is this thing in Immokalee called the CIW (Coalition of Immokalee Workers).  They do a ton of amazing work, and have been for years, fighting for workers rights, better wages, and better treatment for the farmworkers. Ultimately, for justice. There is an ally office at the Coalition, where my roommates and a lot of our friends here in Immokalee work. There is Interfaith Action, Just Harvest, and Student-Farmworker Alliance (SFA).

SFA had this great event this past weekend called the Encuentro. Groups of students and people came from all over the country, who have chapters of SFA at their schools, to meet together, hear more about the Coalition, network, and strategize.

We partook in a protest of Publix (chain of grocery stores popular in SW Florida), and Chipotle. It was amazing being amongst so many people passionate about social justice, and picketing right alongside with the farmworkers themselves. The purpose is for them to sign on to the Fair Food Campaign-in short, agreeing to pay 1 penny for per lb. of tomatoes they buy, all of which would go directly to the farmworkers,and support education between farmworkers of their own rights (right to fair wage, right to report abuse if any goes on in the fields,etc.) and to agree to stop buying from growers if abuse is going on in the fields. Basically. I think I got it right. But it is such amazing work being done, and the CIW has already gotten Burger King, Subway, Trader Joes, and Taco Bell to sign on over the past few years.

The manager of Publix talked with some of the leaders, and took the letter they had. The manager at Chipotle on the other hand....refused to speak with the people who peacefully walked in and wanted to talk, he yelled at them to get out and had a security guard at the door. After we drove an hour, he refused to speak with them. Unbelievable. Chipotle prides themselves on being food with integrity, but its' leaders have anything but integrity. They pride themselves on taking great care of their chickens and pigs...but have no concern for the farmworkers, for people. Profit takes precedence over people. It stinks because I do like Chipotle food, but after hearing about how they are treating the workers, it makes me sick. Literally, my stomach hurts.

I am so glad to be able to stand alongside with these passionate people, in the pursuit of justice.


More info on the CIW: http://www.ciw-online.org/

More info on SFA: http://www.sfalliance.org/ 


Educate yourselves.