Article gives a shout out to Denver Fair Food!

This recent Examiner article from Denver, as part of National Farmworker Awareness Week, takes a look at the ongoing plight faced by the nation's farm laborers as well as references our upcoming protest outside of Quiznos Corporate Headquarters (happening today!). It's worth checking out: Farmworker protests at Quiznos headquarters See you on the Picket line!

First Spring Blitz Action: Tomatoes Attack!

The first action of Spring Blitz for Farmworker Justice was a swift affair. A small cadre of tomatoes from Florida's fields - outraged at the abusive conditions conditions which they've seen the workers who pick them laborering under for decades - descended on Quiznos on Denver's busy 16th Street Mall in order to tell the Denver-based sub franchise that it must start supporting the pinciples of Fair Food established by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

The CIW's Fair Food principles are beginning to improve the wages and working conditions of tomato pickers throughout Florida. But for this new - and still fragile - era of human rights and dignity for Florida's farmworkers to thrive and grow, more companies like Quiznos need to place their substantial purchasing power behind the new higher standards.

This was the message that the Immokalee tomatoes shared with this Quiznos franchise owner. The franchise owner surprised everyone by saying that not only did he fully support the idea of farmworkers receiving fair wages and working conditions but he actually spoke with Quiznos Headquarters and encouraged them to sign an agreement with the CIW. Unfortunately, Quiznos has not taken his advise, and until it does, protests will have to continue.

And more and more consumers will be awakened to the reality that Quiznos has refused to do its part to end the exploitation of those whose labor provides the tomatoes which top its sandwhiches. Within 15 minutes, the tomatoes outside this store had passed out well over 100 fliers to curious customers and passers by. When will Quiznos finally start listening to its customers, franchisees and . . . tomatoes?

Join us for the next Spring Blitz actions:

Sunday, March 27, 12:00noon
Quiznos at 1275 Grant St. (13th & Grant)[map]
Picket at 1st ever Quiznos

Thursday, March 31, 12:00noon
Quiznos Headquarters, 1001 17th St. (17th & Curtis)[map]
Cesar Chavez Day Protest and Rally! honor the continuing struggle for farmworker justice!

Quick Updates: Denver at the "Do the Right Thing" March, César Chávez Day March and more

In Denver, we may be gearing up for the Spring Blitz for Farmowker Justice, but we wanted to give a quick update about recent happenings and upcoming events.

Pictured here are the Denver Fair Foodistas who traveled to Tampa, Florida to participate in the CIW's "Do the Right Thing" March. Also pictured are our friends from Kansas and Illinois (many of whom we first met at the No Coast Encuentro in Denver last fall) who did the 64-hour-round-trip drive with us.

In the background are the props from the popular treatro which was the powerful culmination of an incredible weekend of action which included plantones throughout the cities of St. Petersburg and Tampa and three different marches which ended with what one Denver protester is quoted as calling "the biggest picket line I've ever seen in my life!"


Marching as partners with workers from Immokalee in this inspiring movement, we were confirmed in the fact, as the CIW's Lucas Benitez said, "it's not a question of whether we will win, but when . . ."

You can see all the amazing reports from the entire "Do the Right Thing" Tour, including photos, video and press, by going to this site: "Do the Right Thing" Tour

Back here in Denver, everyone should mark their calendars for the 10th Annual César Chávez Day March:

Satuardy, March 26
Mass at 8:45am at St. Anthony of Padua, 3401 W. Ohio Ave.
March at 10:00am
Celebration and Food at 11:00am at Denver Indian Center, 4407 Morrison Rd.


Also Denver's Labor Council For Latin American Advancement will be hosting their annual César Chávez Dinner-Dance on Saturday, March 26, 6:00pm at the VFW Hall, 4747 W. Colfax. There will be food, live music, dancing and more. Contact bmckenna@denver.co.lclaa.org for details.

Denver Fair Food will no doubt be honoring the late labor leader who fought so hard for the rights of farmworkers. But we'll also be honoring the ongoing struggle for farmworker jutice by participating in the Spring Blitz for Farmworker Justice which includes an action on César Chávez' birthday - March 31.

Contact DenverFairFood@gmail.com if you would like to invite us to speak with your class, congregation, union, community group or school about the ongoing struggle for farmworker rights and how they can get involved!

Finally, folks who follow this blog may also be interested in the upcoming Conference on Religion, Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery sponsored by the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology.