January 15-16, 2005
FAITH-BASED SYMPOSIUM A HUGE SUCCESS! NEARLY 40 YEARS LATER, DR. KING'S PROPHETIC VISION ALIVE IN IMMOKALEE, BOYCOTT!...
Martin Luther King was brought down by an assassin's
bullet on April 4th, 1968, in Memphis, TN, where he
had traveled to support sanitation workers on strike
for a fair wage. Nearly 40 years later, his spirit
and prophetic dream of social justice continue to
inspire hundreds of millions of people around the
globe to question things as they are and to fight
to make a more humane, more just world possible.
Dr. King's spirit certainly moved among the hundreds of religious leaders and farmworkers gathered in Immokalee this past weekend, Jan. 15-16, at a symposium on human rights organized in his memory. In Atlanta, his legacy inspired new, high-profile support for the Taco Bell boycott. While in Tampa and St. Petersburg, FL, readers of the St. Petersburg Times were able to learn just what Dr. King and his work mean to the CIW and our struggle today in an exceptional article and photo gallery, "Replanting the dream: A labor advocate wants farm workers to be inspired by King's passion for economic justice" (1/17/05).
At
the symposium -- entitled,
"Human Rights and the Struggle for Fair Food:
Making Dr. King's Dream Our Reality" -- over
200 religious leaders and lay people from across
Florida and the country came to Immokalee for a
two-day conference where participants discussed
topics ranging from conditions in Florida's fields
to socially responsible business practices, modern-day
slavery, the campaign for Fair Food, and the role
of religious allies in the boycott.
The weekend was a powerful realization of what
Dr. King called the "beloved community,"
a coming together of diverse communities around
a single vision of
a society built on a foundation of brotherhood,
where "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere." Beyond laying the groundwork for
what is sure to be the greatest faith-based participation
yet in this year's Truth Tour, the symposium was
a deeply moving experience for all those involved
which will not soon be forgotten (the weekend was
filled with poignant moments, including a speech
during the Saturday evening service by CIW member
Lupita Vasquez, right, about what the movement means
to her that left not a dry eye in the crowd of more
than 500). Many thanks go to Damara Luce and Amy
Ullo of Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida for
their tireless work in organizing such a great event.
For more photos from the symposium, click
here.
In
Atlanta, Lucas Benitez of the CIW (left,
with Nobel Prize laureate Rigoberta Menchu) represented
the 2003 Robert F. Kennedy Human RIghts Award laureates
at a gathering of human rights activists and artists
commemorating the birthday of Dr. King. The gathering
saw the presentation of a play based on Kerry Kennedy's
book "Speak Truth to Power", including
performances by Martin Sheen, Alfree Woodard, Sean
Penn, Lynne Redgrave, and Woody Harrelson.
The gathering also presented the opportunity for
many of the artists and activists present to become
more familiar with the Taco Bell boycott. As as
result, we have a long list of new endorsers, including Martin Sheen (right, star of one
of the greatest movies of all time, "Apocalypse
Now," 
with
Lucas...), Alfre Woodard, and Lynn
Redgrave! And with any luck, Martin Sheen
will be joining us in Louisville for the March 12th
rally at Yum Brands headquarters.
Finally, we wrap up our report on this incredible weekend with on last plug for the St. Petersburg Times article "Replanting the dream". Here's just a taste to whet your appetite:
" For most Americans, King is remembered for bus boycotts and lunch-counter protests and his long fight for racial equality. Often forgotten is that in the last years of his life, he broadened his focus to economic justice - decent wages, health care, quality housing. And organizing farm workers." Read more
All in all, a great weekend for Immokalee and for the Taco Bell boycott. One more thing for which we have Dr. King to thank.