Podcasts about immokalee workers ciw

On Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg, Dani speaks with Gerardo Reyes Chavez, a key leader of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). They discuss the abuses that many farm workers in the U.S. face, the development of the CIW's Fair Food Program and its model of worker empowerment, and what recent attacks on immigrant communities could affect the farm workers who put food on our plates. While you're listening, subscribe, rate, and review the show; it would mean the world to us to have your feedback. You can listen to “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg” wherever you consume your podcasts.

Series: Labor Day Special Episode    Episode Description: “Suffering doesn't have to be part of the food we eat. Workers feed every family in this country, and it is only fair that everyone, everywhere should do something to make sure that farm workers have the same ability to feed their families with dignity and respect. And it doesn't take much. It takes for us to have these conversations.” —Gerardo Reyes Chávez   The food we consume is often built upon the backs of a vulnerable workforce struggling to maintain their dignity and basic rights. While we enjoy the convenience and affordability of our food, we must reckon with the unseen sacrifices made by the men, women, and children who toil in the fields, a sobering reality that challenges us to consider the true price we pay for the food we consume.   Gerardo Reyes Chávez is a seasoned farm worker and community organizer who has dedicated over 25 years to advocating for the rights of agricultural laborers. As a long-time member of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), Gerardo has been instrumental in the development and implementation of the groundbreaking Fair Food Program, which has dramatically improved working conditions and wages for tens of thousands of farm workers across the United States.   Tune in as Justine and Gerardo relate the stark contrasts between farm workers' cultural expectations and the harsh realities they face in the agricultural industry, the systemic nature of the abuses and exploitation they endure, the outsized power of major food brands driving industry consolidation and wage stagnation, the innovative and persistent approach of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in targeting this systemic change, the potential for replicating successful models like the Fair Food Program, and the critical importance of building solidarity and collective action between consumers, advocates, and the farm worker community to address the deep-rooted challenges in the food system. Connect with Gerardo:  Gerardo Reyes Chávez is a distinguished farmworker advocate and a key leader of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). With a background in farm labor that began at the age of 11 in Zacatecas, Mexico, Gerardo has dedicated his life to improving the conditions and rights of farmworkers. He has worked in the fields of Florida, picking a variety of crops including oranges, tomatoes, blueberries, and watermelon. As a leader in the CIW, Gerardo has played a pivotal role in the development and implementation of the Fair Food Program, which aims to protect workers from exploitation and improve labor conditions. His efforts include facilitating community meetings, educating workers about their rights, and attracting new buyers to support the program. Gerardo is also actively involved in addressing issues such as wage theft and modern-day slavery, ensuring that farmworkers' voices are heard and their rights are upheld. Gerardo's work has been recognized nationally and internationally, and he frequently speaks at events to raise awareness about the challenges faced by farmworkers and the importance of ethical labor practices. Website Facebook X   Connect with NextGen Purpose: Website Facebook Instagram  LinkedIn YouTube Episode Highlights: 00:50 Farmer vs Farm Worker  08:02 Overcoming Challenges and Abuse  15:41 The Role of the Coalition  20:32 Change the Farming Community  23:25 Suffering Should Not Be A Part of Our Food    

Nuestra lucha por la justicia alimentaria debe incluir a los que trabajan más cerca de nuestros alimentos. La organizadora de trabajadores agrícolas, Lupe Gonzalo, de la Coalición de Trabajadores de Immokalee (CIW) comparte el profundo poder que se encuentra dentro de las voces de los trabajadores agrícolas. Como trabajadora agrícola, Lupe arroja luz sobre las condiciones abusivas en las que están sujetos trabajadores agrícolas, desde el robo de salaries, la agresión sexual, y condiciones similares a esclavitud moderna. Los intentos fallidos de responsabilizar a los propietarios de granjas por las atrocidades en curso llevaron a Lupe y sus colegas a recurrir al poder de la responsabilidad social. El programa y la campaña Fair Food de CIW amplifican las voces de los trabajadores agrícolas para promover el cambio y fomentar la responsabilidad entre las grandes corporaciones de alimentos para establecer un código de conducta entre sus proveedores. Yendo más allá de establecer protecciones y garantizar que las políticas de seguridad se implementen y hagan cumplir, CIW ha luchado para construir poder, voz y agencia entre los trabajadores agrícolas en Immokalee, FL e inspirado a defensores en todo el país. Our fight for food justice must include those working closest to our food. Farmworker organizer, Lupe Gonzalo, of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) shares the profound power that lies within farmworker voices. As a farmworker herself, Lupe sheds light on the abusive conditions farmworkers work and live in everyday—from wage theft to sexual assault to modern-day slavery. Failed attempts to hold farm owners accountable for on-going atrocities led Lupe and her colleagues to turn to the power of social responsibility. CIWs Fair Food Program and campaign amplifies farmworker voices to advance change and foster responsibility among large food corporations to establish a code of conduct amongst their vendors. Going beyond establishing protections and ensuring that safety policies are implemented and enforced, CIW has worked to build power, voice, and agency among farmworkers in Immokalee, FL and inspired advocates nation-wide.

Today Gayle and Kelly welcome Matt Hackworth to the show. We meander through conversation about the plight of refugees in the world, being an NGO worker, working conditions in the US, and working with people with Disabilities. Here are some links to things we mention in the show. Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) ciw-online.org Corus International corusinternational.org L'Arche USA larcheusa.org unbound.love - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - connect with gayle @pubpastor connect with Kelley @pastorkelley Leave us a message we would love to hear your feedback and comments --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/unboundlove/message

What can activists do to promote embodied solidarity to ally with the Black community? In the next episode of the I Can't Breathe series, co-hosts Paco Abiad and Mikayla Marraccini embark on a journey of social ethics with Dr. Nichole Flores, a religious studies professor at the University of Virginia. Join them in a riveting conversation that connects the dots between Black Lives Matter, the hardships of the Latinx community, protests in sports, and performing arts centers. Join This is Viral in supporting the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), the organization that Dr. Nichole spoke of in explaining her origin story towards ethics. Donate here to the CIW's Fair Food Program, which ensures that over 35,000 farmworkers in seven states are working free from sexual harassment and discrimination, in safer working conditions, and earning better wages. You may also sign this petition and join 45,000 other supporters calling on Florida Gov. Mathis to protect the farmworker's community during COVID-19. Public Health Bookworm Reading List Podcast Resources Music by Ketsa and Chad Crouch Thank you to Anchor for sponsoring this episode. Follow @thisisviralpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. What enrages you and what gives you hope? Email us - thisisviralpodcast@gmail.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thisisviral/support

Years ago, I attended an event called Encuentro in solidarity with farmworkers in Immokalee, Florida organized by the Student Farm worker Alliance and Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). At this event I was introduced to a whole range of specific issues surrounding the growth of tomatoes in Florida and the cultural and political landscapes of power that surround the city of Immoklaee.So, for this episode of Picture Theory I contacted Natali Rodriguez and Silvia Perez to see if they could share their perspectives and insights as women, organizers, and farmworkers, demanding justice in a time of crisis and political polarization.Silvia is a farmworker staff member of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and one the coordinators of the Women's Group, she’s also a DJ on the Coalition’s radio station, and organizes for the national Wendy's Boycott.Natali is a staff member of the CIW and in addition to community support, she helps coordinate the logistics for the worker-to-worker education sessions that the CIW facilitates throughout the season. Natali will also be translating today’s conversation.So, you might be wondering what is the CIW and what kind of work do they do? First here’s a little context: the average wage for a farmworker in Immokalee is roughly 17k a year. The work is extremely, physically labor-intensive and very difficult to maintain a family on. Immokalee is a multiracial working class immigrant community surrounded by wealthy communities that often ignore the human rights and needs of those in Immokalee.The CIW is a leader in the growing movement to end human trafficking due to its groundbreaking work to combat modern-day slavery and other labor abuses common in agriculture. In order to take action and demand justice the CIW has three broad campaigns or strategies you should know about:The Campaign for Fair FoodThe CIW’s national Campaign for Fair Food educates consumers on the issue of farm labor exploitation – its causes and solutions – and forges alliances between farmworkers and consumers in an effort to enlist the market power of major corporate buyers to help end that exploitation. Since 2001, the campaign has combined creative, on-the-ground actions with online organizing to win Fair Food Agreements with eleven multi-billion dollar food retailers, including McDonald’s, Subway, Sodexo and Whole Foods, establishing more humane farm labor standards and fairer wages for farmworkers in their tomato suppliers’ operations.The Fair Food ProgramUnder the FFP, the CIW conducts worker education sessions, held on-the-farm and on-the-clock, on the new labor rights set forth in the Fair Food Code of Conduct; the Fair Food Standards Council, a third-party monitor created to ensure compliance with the FFP, conducts regular audits and carries out ongoing complaint investigation and resolution.Anti-Slavery CampaignThe CIW’s Anti-Slavery Campaign has uncovered, investigated, and assisted in the prosecution of numerous multi-state, multi-worker farm slavery operations across the Southeastern U.S., helping liberate over 1,200 workers held against their will; pioneered the worker-centered approach to slavery prosecution; played a key role in the passage of the 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act; and co-founded the national Freedom Network USA and the Freedom Network Training Institute, which is regularly attended by local, state and federal law enforcement officialsIn our conversation Silvia and Natali talk about what the CIW’s focus has been on before the COVID pandemic and how the workers are cooping with the health crisis as farmworkers, asking supporters to sign this petition and demanding justice from the governor:Set up a field hospital, or alternative care facility, in Immokalee to provide both treatment for COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms, and a separate quarantine space to allow workers with milder symptoms to self-isolate, to stop the spread of the virus in the community and relieve stress on the local health system.Require agricultural employers to provide personal protective gear, particularly masks, to farmworkers for use while they are traveling to and from the fieldsEnsure comprehensive, free, accessible COVID-19 testing in Immokalee, when widespread testing becomes availableAllocate public funds for economic relief for Florida farmworkersHere’s our conversation with Silvia and Natali of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers:You can also listen to Picture Theory on Spotify and in the Apple podcasts app.Episode notes:History of the CIW; started in 1993Immigrant farm workers coming from Mexico, Guatemala, HaitiWage theft, difficult working conditions, extreme cases, sexual assault25,000 people working in agricultureMigrant community dependent on growing seasonsHousing conditions of workersHow COVID pandemic aggravates the conditionsThe history behind the CIWSiliva’s backstory with CIW women’s group and becoming a staff memberA typical day in the life of a farmworker in ImmokaleeWhat campaign work looked like before the COVID pandemicWhat does a victory look like for a farmworker action and campaignDemands 1 extra penny per tomatoEliminating wage theftZero tolerance policy for sexual assault in the workplaceThe key players in the fight for food justice from Wendy’s, to Walmart, to hospitalsWhat the supply chain looks like on a macroscale and how anyone who eats tomatoes is involvedThe after-effects of slavery and the history behind why tomatoes are grown in Immokalee, FloridaWhat it’s like to raise a family as latinx communities living in a politically conservative state ImmokaleeWhy Immokalee is a forgotten working class immigrant community surrounded by wealthy land ownersThe joys of doing work as a coalitionFarm work is not easy and the wages on average are around 17000 per year and the seasons are unpredictableSelf isolation for workers who can’t go back to their homes without spreading the virus furtherNatali describes the nation network of food justice organizations

Melody Gonzalez, a 2005 Notre Dame graduate, was born in Santa Ana, CA and is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Melody's father and grandfather were farmworkers in Mexico and in the United States and from a very early age Melody was exposed to the conditions that her family had gone through working in agriculture. It led her to become an advocate for farmworker justice first during her time at Notre Dame and eventually with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). Melody helped organize farmworker-led campaigns to force McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, Subway, and other fast food chains to guarantee fair wages and rights for farmworkers who provide the produce for these chains. Melody currently serves as an interpreter and translator and has interpreted for farmworkers, torture survivors, elected officials and more.

The US Human Rights Network hosted a webinar in partnership with Prometheus Radio Project on August 21, 2012 to share information about how community groups can start their own low power FM community radio stations. Jeff Rousset of Prometheus Radio Project shared the history of Low Power FM (LPFM) radio stations, the larger media context in the U.S, and offered information on the upcoming opportunity to apply for LPFM radio stations along with the logisitcs of starting a station. Cruz Salucio and Adrian Alcantar from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) shared ways they are using radio to get the word out about worker's rights, emergency situations, community building and organizing efforts. Danielle Mkali of Main Street Project shared how groups in Minneapolis are organizing to start LPFM radio stations. After a 10 year fight, media justice advocates successfully passed the Local Community Radio Act in 2011. Now, there is a one-time opportunity to open up access to the airwaves for social justice groups. In the next year, nonprofits and community groups will have a historic opportunity to apply for thousands of new non-commercial FM radio licenses! This will be the first time urban areas can apply and the last big chance ever to get a radio license. These Low Power FM (LPFM) multimedia stations can be broadcast studios and organizing hubs for our movements. They can be a powerful local organizing tool featuring local artists and news. Conservative forces are mobilizing to get these licenses and build more right-wing stations. We need to organize social justice groups to get these stations instead and build a national communications infrastructure that's owned and controlled by our movements.

Greg Asbed is a Co-Founder of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a worker-based human rights organization. He works with farmworkers and their student, labor, and religious allies to organize the national Campaign for Fair Food, a breakthrough worker-based approach to corporate accountability in the agricultural industry known for its creativity and effectiveness. He writes and designs the CIW’s main communication tool — the website (www.ciw-online.org) and also coordinates the CIW’s negotiating team in talks with food industry leaders, negotiating “Fair Food” agreements with nine multi-billion dollar retail food corporations to date, including McDonald’s, Subway, Sodexo, and Whole Foods. He is currently leading the effort to develop and implement innovative new farm labor standards in collaboration with two of Florida’s largest tomato growers, paving the way for the implementation of the CIW’s Fair Food Code of Conduct across the entire Florida tomato industry in November, 2011. Greg is one of the authors featured in the textbook Bringing Human Rights Home: Portraits of the Movement (2008). He has an M.A. in International Economics and Social Change and Development from Johns Hopkins SAIS and is fluent in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. He has also spent the past 15 seasons harvesting watermelons in the states of Florida, Georgia, Missouri, and Maryland. This program has been brought to you by Hearst Ranch. “Most farm workers were farmers back home, and I’m sure they’d love the opportunity to use more than just their arms and legs to work.”– Greg Asbed on Greenhorn Radio

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers organized a rally in front of a center city Trader Joes and the Philly Student Union was there to help support. Immigrant farmworkers across southwest Florida have been working under low wages and have been treated unfairly for many years. Back in 1993 they began organizing and between there hunger strike and their historic 230-mile march in 2000, their organizing ended over declining wages in the tomato industry. By 1998 they won industry-wide raises but wages still remained below poverty level. Today they are called the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and they are currently fighting for big chain companies like Trader Joes, Walmart, Stop and Shop, ect to sing off on their fair food agreement. This radio piece was produced by Ericka Johnson and it includes a interview with Oscar from the CIW.

Lucas Benitez of NESRI partner the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) presented at the United Nations’ launch of World Social Justice Day.

In September, students from Philadelphia Student Union went to Immokalee Florida for a conference put on by the Student Farmworker Alliance (SFA). Eric Yates conducted this interview with John Michael Torres, an activist and steering committee member of the SFA, which is part of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers(CIW). During the conference, PSU members learned about the CIW's campaign for a better contract with Subway. On December 2, Subway gave in to the workers' demands and CIW announced a major victory in this campaign!