What to give your family and friends this holiday season and help spread the word about the CIW in the process?

Well, on the book list this year, we have two excellent new book from the Politics/Current Events section, each of which dedicates an entire chapter to the work of the CIW.

“Globalize Liberation” (edited quite ably by an old friend of the CIW, David Solnit) is a collection of thirty-three essays reflecting the insights and visions for the future of community activists and the organizations and movements they represent from North America, Europe, and Latin America. You can find the book at bookstores everywhere, or go to www.globalizeliberation.org to order your copy today.

The second book this season, entitled “Out of the Sea and into the Fire: Latin American-US Immigration in the Global Age,” is another great read weaving together a compelling story of Latin American migrants in the age of globalization. Written by one of our favorite journalists, Kari Lyderson, it connects the effects of trade policies with the powerful forces pushing today’s migrants from their homeland to their new lives in the US, from “a frozen street corner in Chicago to a sweltering tomato field in Florida.” You can oder your copy at www.commoncouragepress.com.

The CD we recommend this holiday season: Boomerang Politik, the new solo album by long-time CIW supporter and Taco Bell boycott activist JG of the hip hop duo Over the Counter Intelligence (creators of the Taco Bell boycott anthem “Hunger Days”). The 7-song EP is a powerful commentary on US foreign policy in Latin America, with a particular focus on US involvement in Haitian politics. It is available for purchase exclusively via JG’s website, www.insurgentjg.com , and is a must-hear for all those who appreciate the power of politically-charged hip hop.

Finally, CIW gear and gourmet coffee with the CIW label! Attractive CIW caps and t-shirts are available by simply emailing us at workers@ciw-online.org — let us know what you are interested in receiving and give us your size, and we will put them in the mail forthwith! All you need to do in return is consider making a donation to your favorite Florida farmworker movement.

And last but by no means least… 100% Fair Trade, “Un Centavo Mas” label coffee from the good folks at “Just Coffee” in Madison, WI. Their motto says it all: “Not just a market, but a movement”. You can find a link to Just Coffee on the homepage of our website, or you can go to their site directly by clicking on www.justcoffee.net/justice.html. Their coffee is hand-roasted on demand, so it really can’t be beat!

Thanks, and have a great holiday! —