Gainesville, Florida and National Farmworker Awareness Week
By Victoria Mena
The Gainesville Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice (IAIJ) joined with local partners in recognition of the labor that the estimated 2-3 million men, women and children working in this country endure as they harvest food for our consumption and to advocate for fair working and living conditions. The IAIJ organized several events to bring the national, annual campaign, of the Farmworkers Awareness Week to Gainesville for the first time in its 12 year history.
There is an estimated 2-3 million men, women and children working in this country to harvest food for our consumption, enduring harsh working and living conditions facing daily issues that are hardly talked about or recognized. For that reason the Gainesville Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice organized to bring the annual Farmworkers Awareness Week to Gainesville for the first time in its 12 year history. “We are really excited to have brought this national week of awareness to Gainesville. It’s important that we inform and discuss the issues facing the immigrant community as a whole. This week’s events examined human trafficking, honor the legacy of leaders in the movement, like Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, brought attention to the root causes of migration and the need for farm workers in this country, and ultimately gave people a chance to plug into what’s going on in this community to ease the struggle facing farmworkers everywhere.” said Kimberly Hunter, an organizer with the Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice.
Working with local organizations, including the University of Florida’s Samuel Proctor’s Oral History Program, Institute for Hispanic Latino Cultures, Harvest of Hope, and The Rural Women’s Health Project and with support from national organizations like the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Student Labor Action Project and Student Action with Farmworkers, the IAIJ worked to establish 5 events in the Gainesville community.
The first event was Wednesday, March 30, 2011, a panel on human trafficking, “Haitian Labor Enslaved: From Haiti to Florida!” and drew a crowd of over 60 attendees. This important issue directly affects the Gainesville community, as a federal case involving Haitian nationals is scheduled in Alachua County this summer. The panelists consisted of legal, academic and community experts that gave insight to the issue of human trafficking, including the causes, solutions, and provided background on Haiti, which is the nationality of both the victims and the accused in the Alachua County case. Many of people in the community are still unaware of this human trafficking case, as well as of the many services and resources that organizations and individuals in Alachua County have provided to the victims in this case. “This event helped me realized human trafficking as an issue that’s taking place right here, and that there are things that can be done to identify it and help people get through it.” Scott Frew, community member who attended the event said afterward.
The second event to focus on farmworkers took place March 31, 2011 at the Institute of Hispanic/Latino Cultures. The first of this two-part event was held midday and focused on two great leaders who organized and fought on behalf of farmworkers and the working class across the nation, the founders of the United Farmworkers Workers, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, The second installment was an evening event including a panel of local farmworker advocates who discussed the spectrum of issues surrounding farmworkers in our area, “There are many opportunities for the community to get involved and groups such as the Interfaith Alliance serves as the catalyst. Their outreach into the community ranges from schools to places of faith to community organizations ” Fran Ricardo, from the Rural Women’s Health Project, and member of the Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice.
To get involved visit the IAIJ website or email: gainesvilleiaij@gmail.com
