The Student/Farmworker Alliance is a partner to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a Florida farmworker-led organization which has been highly lauded by a number of organizations from a diversity of fields, including the Roosevelt Institute, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the U.S. State Department. The CIW’s innovative approach has been extraordinarily successful in improving wages and working conditions for farmworkers.
On March 15th, students from various universities will join with migrant farmworkers who are undertaking a 5-day “Freedom Fast” from March 11-15 in New York City to demand an end to sexual violence, exploitation, and modern-day slavery in the fields. I am reaching out to the WGSS department for support because the CIW is focusing on lifting up the voices of women farmworkers and leading this campaign with a specific focus on ending sexual harassment/violence. Over 80% of women farmworkers have experienced some form of sexual harassment/violence and we are organizing to end these abuses. We are fighting for the Fair Food Program, which in a few short years has guaranteed improved wages and working conditions for these workers. All the major fast-food companies — except Wendy’s — have joined their Fair Food Program. We want to join the coalition outside the offices of Nelson Peltz, Wendy’s largest shareholder and chairman of the Board of Director, to show that students stand in solidarity with migrant farmworkers.
This year, we are working to send a bus full of students from Boston, Providence, and New Haven to New York to join the final day’s action and we would greatly appreciate help from the WGSS department as we fundraise to make this bus possible so that more folks are able to join for this action! This would be a great opportunity for students to have community-based experience in organizing and take steps to create a more sustainable and just food system.
Please see the attached flyer and our online campaign to help support one of the most inspirational workers’ rights movements in the country.
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Spring Break Opportunity: Stand with Farmworkers in NYC
Staying in New Haven/Northeast area during spring break? Come stand with farmworkers and join the fight for food justice!
Join us for a solidarity action with migrant farmworker women and men who are escalating the national boycott of Wendy’s by undertaking a 5-day “Freedom Fast” from March 11-15 to demand an end to sexual violence in the fields. The fast is led by farmworkers with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) who have created the most successful human rights program in agriculture by holding major food retailers accountable for workplace violations at the base of their supply chains. All the major fast-food companies — except Wendy’s — have joined their Fair Food Program.
So now, allies from across the country are holding Wendy’s accountable! The Freedom Fast will be outside the hedge fund offices of Wendy’s Board Chairman Nelson Peltz in New York City and culminate with a massive march and rally through midtown Manhattan on March 15 at 5:00PM. The fast will demand that Mr. Peltz use his power to end sexual violence in Wendy’s supply chain by bringing the fast-food chain into the Fair Food Program. This would be an unforgettable experience and a rare opportunity to build real, long-lasting relationships with the people that harvest the food that we eat. Immigrant rights, women’s rights, and human rights are all farmworker rights and we hope you join us in our fight for collective liberation.
If you are interested in participating in the fast or the action, please fill out our interest form!
To donate, please visit our crowdsourcing page!
To learn more, check out the press release here!
If you have any questions or are interested in joining the Core Organizing team, please email lauren.kim@yale.edu