Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Report-back: March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food

Come hear stories, eat some food, see a photo exhibit, watch video highlights, hear stories and listen to original music from the March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food!

April 6, 6:00pm-9:00pm
at Colorado Progressive Coalition
1029 Santa Fe Dr. [map]

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers called for a 200-mile march to mark the incredible progress that has been made in Florida's fields, as well as, mark the path ahead - inviting those corporations that have yet to join the Fair Food Program.

The Denver Fair Food Committee answered that call with a delegation of students, young people, and community leaders that marched 200-miles in solidarity with the CIW and with the hope that together we will forge that new path for dignity and respect in the fields.
This will be a fundraiser to off-set costs for this delegation that rolled deep to represent the mile-high city's support for the Fair Food Program!

If you'd like to give now, click here to donate!

Come hear stories, eat some food, see a photo exhibit, watch video highlights and listen to original music from the march! 

Donations are greatly appreciated but no one will be turned away!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Denver presente! 3 more videos from the March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food!

The March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food is now over. The 15-day, 200-mile action walking side-by-side with farmworkers and other allies was, by all accounts, a powerful experience for everyone who participated from Denver. Here are three more videos from Denver Fair Food members reflecting on their experience on the March.

Lani:


Alex:


Mu Son:


Check out the Coalition of Immokalee Workers website for more videos, photos, press and more!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Denver presente! Three videos from the March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food

Today we're gonna share three videos from folks from Denver.  One from folks who recently returned from the March and two from folks who recently arrived at the March. All are reflections on their participation in the March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food and the meaning of solidarity.

The first comes from the group from Regis University who recently returned from the March and almost immediately shared their experience with dozens of their schoolmates at a community dinner at the Regis-affiliated Romero House:


The second video comes from SFA Steering Committee member and Denver Fair Food organizer Joe Deras:



And finally, another Denver Fair Food member, Tania Valenzuela, shares her experience walking with the CIW on her first day on the March:



While we're on the subject of videos, be sure to check out the web page for the March where you'll find incredible videos which have at least as much beauty and heart as ours and maybe a leg up on us when it comes to technical and artistic sophistication.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Small gestures of solidarity on the March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers' March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food has now been going on for over a week and covered over 100 miles of Florida highway. A large contingent from Denver Fair Food is participating in the March - some of us have already returned from Florida, some of us are still marching and some of us will be joining the other marchers shortly.

Go to the web page for the March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food for all the information you'll need on this historic action.  There you'll find incredible photo reports, press accounts, inspiring videos and more.

Rather than duplicate updates of those on the march, we thought we might try to share the perspective of the thousands of bystanders who have witnessed the March as it slowly progressed through their cities.  The response from those witnesses has been an overwhelmingly positive one - overwhelming not just in terms of numbers but truly the small displays of solidarity shown by ordinary people has at times left the marchers overwhelmed with pride and joy and gratitude. 

Everywhere the March has traveled, despite being inconvenienced by backed-up traffic, despite probably being otherwise contented customers of Publix supermarkets, despite most likely never having themselves worked a day in the fields in their lives, people from all walks of life have demonstrated their support through honks, waves, cheers, claps and thumbs up as workers, and consumers, journey toward Publix headquarters seeking rights and respect.

Without further ado, here is a glimpse of but a few of the many everyday people who have expressed their solidarity:
There's this person with the awesome "solidarity fist";
this woman at the bus stop who enthusiastically waved and clamped the whole time the march passed;
the woman on the far left and her dog;
and this woman and her dog;
 this woman who recorded the scene with her smart phone;
these folks who were enjoying lunch at the most recent company to join the Fair Food Program;
 this woman with a strong thumbs up;
 this hair stylist who took a few minutes from her day to say hi;
 this person from a local dentist office;
 this guy who was admiring a nearby art exhibit before turning his admiration to one of the most beautiful social movements of our day;
 and last but not least Santa Claus, his friend, and a giant stuffed chimpanzee.

In all seriousness, though, these small gestures on the part of those who presumably have little or no knowledge of farmworkers' struggle point to something profound.  Perhaps it is an intuitive recognition of what Kandace Vallejo, a long-time ally of the CIW in the Campaign for Fair Food, articulates in her recent reflection on the March: "I’ve spent years learning that though our struggles are not the same, they converge. I am tired of a life dominated by corporate logos and individual alienation. Although North American culture prioritizes personal gain over collective responsibility, I refuse to believe that we have to reiterate such values through our relationships and lifestyles. This movement has shown me that we don’t."