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Fair Food
For other reports on
worker justice >> |
|
For earlier reports on the Fair Food Campaign and the Coalition of
Immokalee Farmworker's struggle in Florida,
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If you live in the
Northeastern UN, here's your chance:
Final touches being put on
Modern-Day Slavery Museum Northeast Tour!
[7-20-10]
Tour itinerary --
including a visit to the home of Ahold's US headquarters -- now
online...
If you live along the east coast
anywhere from Charlottesville, VA, to Salem, MA, your chance to
check out the
CIW's
Modern-Day Slavery Museum is just around the corner!
Fresh from its exhibits at the
US
State Department (above) and the
National
Mall in Washington, DC, the museum, and the produce truck
that is its centerpiece (below), will travel the northeastern
states from July 25 to August 16th, raising awareness among
consumers
about the brutal exploitation behind the fruits and vegetables
we eat and about the
Campaign for
Fair Food, the growing food justice campaign aimed at
eliminating modern-day slavery once and for all by addressing
the farm labor poverty and powerlessness that lie at its roots.
The Tour Itinerary -- which will
take the museum to the heart of supermarket giant Ahold's US
market (Ahold owns both Stop and Shop and Giant, two of the
northeast's biggest grocery chains, and has
refused to partner with the CIW to improve farm labor
conditions in its supply chain) --
is
online now. Check it out and see when the museum is coming
to your neck of the woods!
And visit
www.pcusa.org/fairfood
for further background materials on the Campaign for Fair Food.
This extraordinary museum
offers people of faith the opportunity to learn and take action
as we heed the gospel call to "set the captives free." Don’t
miss it and spread the word!
From
the Rev. Noelle
Damico, Campaign for
Fair Food, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
|
US State Department
Recognizes Laura Germino, of Coalition of Immokalee Workers, as
Anti-Trafficking “Hero”
[6-10-10]Laura
Germino, coordinator of CIW’s Anti-Slavery Campaign, to be FIRST
US recipient of State Department “hero” designation in the 2010
Trafficking in Persons Report.
Ten years ago, with the passage in Congress of
the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (the law used to bring
criminal charges of slavery against employers in the U.S.
today), the U.S. State Department began issuing a yearly report
on trends in international slavery and efforts to combat it,
called the "Trafficking in Persons" (TIP) report.
As part of the annual TIP report release, the
State Department recognizes the efforts of a handful of
individuals from around the world who have shown extraordinary
commitment and leadership in the fight against slavery, TIP
"Heroes" as the State Department calls them.
This year, Laura Germino, the CIW's
Anti-Slavery Campaign Coordinator, has been chosen to receive
this terrific distinction, and when she does, she will be the
first U.S.-based recipient to receive the recognition.
Further, the State Department has requested
that the CIW's Modern-Day Slavery Museum
http://www.ciw-online.org/freedom_march/museum.html
serve as the backdrop for the 2010 TIP report ceremony.
Read the full
story at
www.ciw-online.org .
Learn more about the PC(USA)’s efforts against human trafficking
at
www.pcusa.org/humantrafficking
.
The prophet
Isaiah reminds us that God desires we “let the oppressed go free
and break every yoke” (Is. 58:6b).
We give thanks
for Laura and the work of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers,
for the thousands of farmworkers they have assisted, and the way
in which they have helped the PC(USA) bear witness to God’s
intention of well-being for all people.
Peace,
The Rev. Noelle
Damico
The PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food
noelle.damico@pcusa.org
www.pcusa.org/fairfood
www.pcusa.org/humantrafficking
|
|
Farmworker Freedom March tops 1,000 as it arrives
in Lakeland
News release from
the Rev. Noelle
Damico, Campaign for
Fair Food, Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.)
[4-22-10]
The prophet Isaiah
reminds us that practicing our faith means we are to loose the bonds of
injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the
oppressed go free, and
to break every yoke” (Isaiah 58:6).
Determined, jubilant and a thousand-strong,
Coalition of Immokalee
Workers, people of faith, students and ordinary
consumers from across Florida and around the nation marched
from Tampa to Lakeland, headquarters of Publix grocery this
past Friday to Sunday. The three-day, 22-mile march was led
by the CIW’s
Florida Modern-Day Slavery Museum and called for freedom
from forced labor, abuse, poverty and degradation.
Read more about the march at
www.pcusa.org/fairfood and let Publix know you want them
to work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to address
modern-day slavery in the fields and end the poverty and
powerlessness in which it flourishes, by
sending an email to Publix’s CEO, Mr. Ed Crenshaw.
Peace,
PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food
The Rev. Noelle Damico, Campaign for Fair
Food
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
noelle.damico@pcusa.org
NY Office: 631-751-7076
Mobile: 631-371-9877
www.pcusa.org/fairfood
|
|
Immokalee farmworkers seek email support for Freedom March
(April 16-18) and negotiations with Publix Grocery
This comes to us from the Rev.
Noelle Damico,
Campaign for Fair Food,
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) [posted here
4-10-10]
You may know that
on April 1, the CIW made its 8th fairfood agreement with Aramark
Corporation. <
http://www.pcusa.org/fairfood
> On April 16-18 Presbyterians will join the CIW and other
supporters on the Farmworker Freedom March from Tampa to
Lakeland, FL, headquarters of Publix Grocery. In light of the
upcoming action, CIW has set up an e-action by which people can
send emails to the CEO of Publix, urging the company to work
with the CIW.
Just click here to send your email.
We hope Publix
will be moved by this public witness and by emails from across
the country to change course and work with the CIW.
|
Farmworker Freedom March
on April 16-18, 2010
[1-25-10]
from The Rev.
Noelle Damico, Campaign for Fair Food, Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.)
Dear Friends:
Announcing the day of God’s
favor, the gospel of Luke tells us Jesus inaugurated his
ministry by reading from the scroll of Isaiah, proclaiming
release to the captives. As followers of Jesus we continue to
proclaim this good news.
The Coalition of Immokalee
Workers will be holding a “Farmworker Freedom March” from Tampa
to Lakeland, Florida, April 16-18, 2010, calling for freedom
from forced labor; freedom from abuse; freedom from poverty and
degradation. In lead-up to the Freedom March, a Mobile
“Modern-Day Slavery Museum” will tour Florida. Presbyterians
from across Florida and across the nation are invited to
participate in the Freedom March and to prepare for this
peaceful witness through prayer, education and advocacy.
Resources will be available soon on
www.pcusa.org/fairfood
. For now, please save the date and pray for this witness.
Further information on the
march and museum is available at
www.ciw-online.org
.
The CIW’s Public Announcement follows:
Earlier this
month, President Obama declared January, 2010,"National Slavery
and Human Trafficking Prevention Month" saying:
"Fighting
modern slavery and human trafficking is a shared
responsibility. This month, I urge all Americans to educate
themselves about all forms of modern slavery and the signs
and consequences of human trafficking. Together, we can and
must end this most serious, ongoing criminal civil rights
violation."
Join the CIW
this spring for an intensive campaign of education and action to
end modern-day slavery in Florida's fields.
Details:
Farmworker Freedom March
 |
Three-day
march of farmworkers and allies |
 |
April 16-18,
from Tampa to Lakeland (home of Publix) |
 |
Route details
and logistics to be announced soon |
Modern-day Slavery Museum
 |
A mobile
educational vehicle in the form of a box-truck outfitted as
a replica of the trucks involved in the latest slavery
prosecution and accompanied by educational displays on
modern-day slavery in Florida, its roots, its causes, and
its solutions. |
For more
information on either the march and the mobile museum, or to
arrange for a museum visit to your community (within FL), you
can contact us at
workers@ciw-online.org
. For more on this exciting action, visit
www.ciw-online.org
.
The Rev. Noelle
Damico
Campaign for
Fair Food
Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.)
noelle.damico@pcusa.org
NY Office:
631-751-7076
Mobile:
631-371-9877
www.pcusa.org/fairfood |
British evangelicals press candy makers to “Stop The Traffik”
[1-4-10]The
London-based evangelical newspaper, Christian Today,
reminds us that our conservative sisters and brothers are
engaging too in witness and ministry for justice. A recent
report describes a current campaign to get manufacturers of
chocolate candy, such as Cadbury and Nestlé, to stop marketing
candy made by workers who have been victims of human
trafficking. The report says the two companies have made small
steps in this direction, but note there is much yet to be done.
For the full story >>
This reminds us of the excellent efforts being
made by the Presbyterian Church (USA) to
promote fair trade (also known as just trade) through a
variety of programs. |
|
Major tomato grower to implement
agreements with Coalition of Immokalee Workers
[9-16-09] This good news
comes to us from the Rev. Noelle Damico, who staffs the
PC(USA)’s Campaign for Fair Food:
Dear Friends:
We have wonderful news! One of
Florida’s largest tomato growers has agreed to fully implement
the CIW’s fair food agreements. Thanks to your efforts in
calling on fast-food, grocery, and foodservice retailers to work
with the CIW, a large enough share of the market has been
created that East Coast Growers and Packers was incented to
break from the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange (FTGE) and
implement these agreements.
Jesus reminded his followers of
a simple, but profound Hebrew teaching, “In everything do to
others as you would have them do to you” (Mt. 7:12). East
Coast’s decision demonstrates that the commitment of growers as
well as farmworkers and corporations are needed if we’re to
create a food system that is ensures our common well-being.
In the wake of this momentous
step forward, please take a moment to call on leading grocery
corporations, Kroger, Publix, and Ahold, to work with the CIW
now. Click
here for resources. |
Great news! Two growers agree to
pass penny to farmworkers!
[6-5-09]
From the FAIRFOOD e-newsletter of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Two
organic Florida growers have agreed to pass the penny per pound
along to workers and adhere to strict labor standards!
Alderman Farms and Lady Moon Farms have reached agreements with
Whole Foods Market to fully implement the principles of the Campaign
for Fair Food, effectively breaking the stalemate established nearly
two seasons ago when the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange threatened
to fine any of its members that sold tomatoes under the terms of the
CIW agreements. At that time, two Florida growers who had been
passing on the penny-per-pound increase under the Taco Bell
agreement ceased doing so.
As
Lucas Benitez of the CIW explained, "The Campaign for Fair Food is
bearing fruit. For nearly two seasons, the Campaign's promise of
fair wages for Florida's farmworkers has been held hostage by the
Florida Tomato Growers Exchange. Today, however, the higher wages
and fairer conditions we have fought for will begin to reach the
workers who so clearly deserve them, thanks to the leadership of
Whole Foods Market and the forward thinking growers at Alderman
Farms and Lady Moon Farms. Without a doubt, the food market is
changing, and for the better. Sustainability, social as well as
environmental, is the way of the future. Together we – as
farmworkers, farmers, and buyers – are forging a path toward that
better future."
Karen Christensen of Whole Foods Market – the first supermarket to
sign an agreement with the CIW – noted that "Lady Moon and Alderman
Farms are examples of Florida growers that Whole Foods Market is
proud to support. These farms are long term partners of Whole Foods
Market and we look forward to continued growth together."
For
more details and to read the complete press release as well as
statements from Senators Durbin and Sanders, visit
www.ciw-online.org
.
As we give thanks for this step forward, we recognize that we need
all Florida growers to help create a humane, human-rights based
tomato industry. As the writer of James put it bluntly, "Listen! The
wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by
fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the
ears of the Lord of hosts." (James 5:4)
While our work has born its "first fruit," continued advocacy is
needed.
By continuing to pressure top buyers in the grocery industry to make
agreements with the CIW to raise wages and standards in the fields
of their suppliers as Whole Foods Market has done, growers will need
to follow this new direction of the market.
So take a moment and contact Interfaith Action to order your
postcards now (info@interfaithact.org
). If you're in Florida, ask for Publix cards. If you're in the
Midwest, ask for Kroger cards. If you're in the Northeast, ask for
Ahold (parent of Stop and Shop and others).
Peace,
PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food
The Rev. Noelle Damico
Campaign for Fair Food
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
noelle.damico@pcusa.org
NY Office: 631-751-7076
Mobile: 631-371-9877
www.pcusa.org/fairfood
|
|
From the Campaign for Fair Food:
CIW and Bon Appétit forge agreement
[4-30-09]The
Coalition of Immokalee Workers and sustainable foodservice leader
Bon Appétit Management Company have forged a new model for fair
labor standards in Florida's tomato fields! The new model for
advancing farmworkers' rights includes a new "minimum fair wage"
provision, new practices to protect against wage fraud, worker
empowerment, worker safety, and third-party monitoring which that
also involves farmworkers. Read all the details as well as the
Washington Post article on the agreement at
www.ciw-online.org .
More >>
More in this update from the
Campaign for Fair Food:
1. CIW and
Bon Appétit Forge Agreement
2. Human Trafficking Training at
Presbytery of Charlotte
3. Register for "The Big Tent" in Atlanta,
June 11-13, 2009
4. 40th Anniversary of Presbyterian Hunger
Program
1. CIW AND BON APPÉTIT FORGE AGREEMENT!
The CIW and sustainable foodservice
leader Bon Appétit Management Company have forged a new model for
fair labor standards in Florida's tomato fields! The new model for
advancing farmworkers' rights includes a new "minimum fair wage"
provision, new practices to protect against wage fraud, worker
empowerment, worker safety, and third-party monitoring which that
also involves farmworkers. Read all the details as well as the
Washington Post article on the agreement at
www.ciw-online.org .
Bon Appétit, which operates on 400
university and corporate campuses, is a large purchaser of tomatoes,
about 5 million pounds a year but not as large as Subway or
McDonald's. Therefore the company's needs can be met by sourcing
tomatoes from smaller Florida growers, who, unlike their larger
counterparts in the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, may be incented
to meet these standards for the opportunity to do business with Bon
Appétit. Gerardo Reyes Chavez of the CIW "We see this as a golden
opportunity for Florida's smaller, family-scale farmers to gain
access to a market that has traditionally been beyond their reach,
and to help elevate Florida's agricultural industry in the process."
Bon Appétit is the first food
service corporation to forge an agreement with the CIW to step
forward since the Student Farmworker Alliance launched their "Dine
with Dignity" campaign this spring, through which students on
campuses across the country are insisting that their food service
providers work with the CIW to advance farmworkers' human rights. To
read more about the Dine with Dignity Campaign which is currently
focused on Aramark, Sodexo, and Compass, visit
www.sfalliance.org .
2. HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING AT
PRESBYTERY OF CHARLOTTE
On September 3, 2009, the
Presbytery of Charlotte will be sponsoring a full-day human
trafficking training conducted by the Freedom Network Training
Institute, an educational effort co-founded by the Coalition of
Immokalee Workers that has trained US Department of Justice, FBI,
law enforcement, social service providers and clergy nationwide.
These trainings are able to be
offered for free for groups that can convene at least 70 people from
their communities. The trainings are designed for people on the
front-lines of contact with modern-day slavery survivors, which
include clergy. In November 2007, the Long Island Presbytery
sponsored a successful training that brought together members from
across their community. To learn about how your presbytery could
sponsor a training, contact the Rev. Noelle Damico of the PC(USA)
Campaign for Fair Food at
Noelle.damico@pcusa.org or 631-751-7076.
3. REGISTER FOR "THE BIG TENT" IN ATLANTA,
JUNE 11-13
The PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food
will be a part of a church-wide conference called "The Big Tent" in
Atlanta, June 11-13. Ten ministries of the PC(USA) and many groups
are joining together for the event. The Rev. Noelle Damico will be
co-leading a workshop on modern-day slavery and a program for youth
at the event. To learn more and register, visit
http://www.pcusa.org/bigtent/ .
4. 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRESBYTERIAN
HUNGER PROGRAM
In July, the Presbyterian Hunger
Program will observe its fortieth year of working to end poverty and
hunger in the US and around the world. Come join us as we celebrate
what has been accomplished and explore new challenges and
possibilities for our work together. Our celebration will take place
during the Presbyterian Women's Gathering, on Tuesday, July 14 at
4pm. Fair trade give-aways, music and community-building will mark
our celebration.
The Rev. Noelle Damico
Campaign for Fair Food
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
noelle.damico@pcusa.org
NY Office: 631-751-7076
Mobile: 631-371-9877
www.pcusa.org/fairfood
|
Florida governor
will meet with Immokalee Workers
[3-11-09]On Monday,
March 9th at the State Capitol Building in Tallahassee, the
Coalition of Immokalee Workers and their allies held a dramatic
press conference and delivered over 39,000 signatures on letters to
Gov. Crist, calling on him to meet with the CIW to address
modern-day slavery in the fields. We endeavored, in the famous words
of the prophet Habakkuk, to make the vision plain.
We've just learned that Governor Crist has agreed
to meet with the CIW on March 25th in Tallahassee.
Your efforts in signing and circulating the
Religious Community Letter to Gov. Crist played a critical role in
gaining this meeting. Thank you! We'll keep you posted on the
outcome of the meeting and any other important news.
For a full update with photo essays, media
coverage and more, visit
www.ciw-online.org . Within
the next week there will be several essays from Presbyterians in
Tallahassee, reflecting on their experience at the press conference
and on being a partner through the church with the CIW as well as
the full text of the remarks by the Rev. Noelle Damico of the PC(USA)
Campaign for Fair Food available at
www.pcusa.org/fairfood
.
From
Campaign for Fair Food,
PC(USA)
The Rev. Noelle
Damico
noelle.damico@pcusa.org
|
| An
update from PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food
Immokalee workers calling on Gov. Crist to take stand against
slavery
[3-9-09]
The Rev. Noelle Damico, of the Presbyterian
Campaign for Fair Food, reports on the ongoing efforts of the
Coalition of Immokalee Workers to end modern-day slavery in the
fields of Florida.
Dear Friends:
As we continue to work with the CIW to end
modern-day slavery in the fields and prepare for Monday's press
conference in Tallahassee, the lectionary Psalter for this Sunday
seems fitting to remember. The Psalmist proclaims that the whole
congregation will join in praise because God "did not despise or
abhor the affliction of the afflicted" or hide God's face (Psalm
22:24). Far from it, God frees and heals and calls all people in
society to create a world that ensures our common well-being. Sadly,
Gov. Crist has thus far hid his face from the brutal suffering faced
by Florida farmworkers. May that change this Monday.
In this email update:
1. Last chance to sign the
Religious Community Letter to Gov. Crist
on Modern-Day Slavery: Press Conference on Monday, 12 noon at the
Tallahassee Capitol steps
2. Sustainable Food
Leaders Visit Immokalee
3. Gourmet Magazine
Features CIW's Work Against Slavery
Peace,
PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food
1. Last Chance for Gov. Crist Sign-on
Letter; CIW Heads to Tallahassee
If you've not already signed onto the letter to
Gov. Crist urging him to meet with the CIW to discuss how to address
modern-day slavery in the Florida fields, now is the time! Visit
http://www.interfaithact.org/GovCristLetter and encourage your
friends to sign too!
The letter will be delivered to Gov. Crist as a
part of the CIW's Press Conference on Monday, March 9th at 12 noon
at the Capitol in Tallahassee. The Rev. Noelle Damico will be
speaking at the event on behalf of the General Assembly of the
PC(USA). On Sunday the CIW will be visiting at a number of
Presbyterian Churches in Tallahassee including First Presbyterian
Church, Faith Presbyterian and Christ Presbyterian Church.
Please keep our witness on modern-day slavery in
your prayers. Visit
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09179.htm for the Presbyterian
News Service story.
2. Sustainable Food Leaders Visit
Immokalee
On Wednesday, over a dozen sustainable food
movement leaders – including authors Frances Moore Lappé (Diet for a
Small Planet) and Raj Patel (Stuffed and Starved) as well as Slow
Food USA president Josh Viertel and National Family Farm Coalition
president Ben Burkett-- came to Immokalee on a delegation to witness
firsthand the reality faced by farmworkers.
"Historically the [sustainable food] movement has
focused on the environment, health, and preserving small farms. But
we've completely missed the boat when it comes to work. Farmworkers
need to be part of this movement....Today we are making that
connection" said Josh Viertel, president of Slow Food USA, during
the delegation's press conference. Also during the press conference,
Raj Patel placed a call to Governor Crist's office to once again ask
the Florida Governor to meet with the CIW and address abuses in
Florida's fields. For more details on the delegation, visit
www.ciw-online.org
3. Gourmet Magazine Features the CIW's work in a March
Feature and online editorial
This month's Gourmet magazine also bridges
the gap between food and farmworkers with an article, "Politics of
the Plate: The Price of Tomatoes," which delves into the slavery and
abuses behind the tomatoes eaten across the country. The article
describes the story of Mariano Lucas Domingo, who was held as a
slave picking tomatoes for two and a half years. Gourmet
contributing editor Barry Estabrook also reports, "when asked if it
is reasonable to assume that an American who has eaten a fresh
tomato from a grocery store or food-service company during the
winter has eaten fruit picked by the hand of a slave, Molloy said,
"It is not an assumption. It is a fact."
Find the article in the March 2009 edition or
online at
http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2009/03/politics-of-the-plate-the-price-of-tomatoes
Gourmet's online
edition follows up on the article by noting: "A little slavery is
okay, just not too much of it. At this writing, that appears to be
the official government position in the state of Florida, and it
could explain why the fields of the Sunshine State provide such
fertile ground for modern-day slavery."
The Rev. Noelle Damico
Campaign for Fair Food
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
noelle.damico@pcusa.org
NY Office: 631-751-7076
Mobile: 631-371-9877
www.pcusa.org/fairfood
|
Immokalee Workers leader addresses UN
[2-12-09]
This report comes from the Rev. Noelle Damico,
who staffs the Campaign for Fair Food, of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.), dated Feb. 11, 2009.
Yesterday, Lucas Benitez of the Coalition of
Immokalee Workers spoke at the United Nations to mark the first-ever
"World Day of Social Justice." He emphasized the practical steps
that state and federal government officials could take to address
the grave human rights abuses faced by farmworkers. Read on to learn
more.
The writer of 1 John exhorts us to love "in truth
and action." If you haven't already done so, do take a moment to
read and consider signing on to the Religious Community Letter to
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist concerning modern-day slavery. It calls
on the governor to meet with the CIW and to urge the Florida Tomato
Growers Exchanges to stop impeding the CIW's agreements with food
corporations. To read the letter, get background, and to sign on,
click here >>.
Please download the letter and encourage members of your church to
join in this important public witness.
Peace, PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food
~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucas Benitez speaks at UN's first "World Day
of Social Justice"
At the invitation of the Honorable Mary Robinson
(President of the Ethical Globalization Initiative and former UN
High Commissioner on Human Rights), Lucas Benitez of the CIW spoke
yesterday at an event marking the first "World Day of Social
Justice," organized by the EGI, the International Labor Organization
(ILO) and the UN.
You can find the full text of his speech at the
CIW website,
http://www.ciw-online.org
The invitation to the
inaugural event, held at UN headquarters in New York, was a great
honor. Lucas spoke of the history of the CIW's struggle and of
practical policy steps that state and federal government actors
could take to help improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of
farmworkers. He concluded his presentation:
With this sort of
practical and political support from elected leaders, consumers
and the corporations that purchase produce will be able to
demand a new product from the US agricultural industry – not
just good, cheap, and safe food, but fair food, food that
respects human rights and doesn't exploit human beings.
Food is at the
very heart of any society. The workers who plant, pick, and pack
food throughout the US – and around the world – have suffered
generations of poverty and degradation. On this day, the very
first World Social Justice Day, let us recognize the fundamental
dignity of farm labor and the men and women who put the food on
our tables. Thank you.
The Rev. Noelle
Damico
Campaign for Fair Food
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
noelle.damico@pcusa.org
NY Office: 631-751-7076
Mobile: 631-371-9877
www.pcusa.org/fairfood
|
|
For justice for Florida farmworkers
Join in asking Gov.
Crist of Florida to oppose modern slavery in Florida’s fields, and
to support improvement for farmworkers
[2-10-09]
The Witherspoon Society
supports the PC(USA) Campaign for Fair Food, in inviting you to sign
on to and collect signatures for a letter from the religious
community to Florida Governor Charlie Crist. The letter calls upon
Gov. Crist to work with the CIW to address modern-day slavery and
abuses in Florida's fields and to urge the Florida Tomato Growers
Exchange to stop blocking improvements for farmworkers.
Read the letter here: http://interfaithact.org/GovCristLetter
Find more
background information about the letter here: http://interfaithact.org/GovCristFAQ
We invite you to
support this letter in one of two ways:
1. Print the letter
and collect signatures in your congregation, committee, and other
settings during the month of February. You can download the letter
and the addresses to mail it to --
just click here.
OR
2. Invite clergy,
individuals and organizations can also sign on to the letter
electronically by sending your name, city/state, and
congregation/faith tradition to
info@interfaithact.org
This letter is a
collaborative effort with Florida religious leaders and we are
seeking signatures both in Florida and nationwide to make a strong,
collective witness to the Governor’s need to take a leadership role
in ending slavery and abuses in Florida's fields. We ask that you
collect and mail the letters (or email your electronic sign-on)
during the month of February. If there is no response from Gov.
Crist, we will deliver the letters in early March.
Lamentably, fear
and violence are still part and parcel of Florida agriculture’s
business as usual. This past December saw the seventh prosecution of
modern-day slavery in the Florida agricultural fields. The brutality
and degradation endured by the tomato pickers who were held against
their will, locked in box trucks, chained, beaten and forced to work
in the fields of two prominent Florida growers, while unimaginable
to most of us, is a horrific reality for Florida farmworkers. More
than 1,000 men and women have been enslaved and these numbers only
include those cases which have been prosecuted.
Will 2009 be the
beginning of the end of modern-day slavery in the fields? That is a
question we can only answer positively if elected political leaders
also add their weight to the growing effort to eradicate this shame.
Gov. Crist of Florida is foremost among them. We encourage you to
sign onto the letter and share it widely with your congregation,
presbytery and friends. |
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For earlier reports on the Fair Food Campaign and the Coalition of
Immokalee Farmworker's struggle in Florida,
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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Plan now for our 2010 Ghost Ranch
Seminar!
GHOST RANCH SEMINAR
July 26-August 1, 2010
WE’RE ALL IN
THIS TOGETHER
CONFRONTING THE STRUCTURES OF INJUSTICE |
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