Event brings together Gainesville faith, student, and civic leaders in united front for Fair Food…
With the Fast for Fair Food set to begin in just 11 days, people across the state and across the country are answering the call to action and declaring “I’ll be there!” with the CIW at Publix headquarters in Lakeland, Florida.
Yesterday, at a moving press conference just across the street from the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, three UF students declared that they will be joining workers from Immokalee and other Fair Food allies in fasting all six days of the upcoming action. Further, dozens of UF students pledged to form a caravan to Lakeland for the Saturday, March 10th, picket and procession to Publix headquarters for the ceremony to break the week-long fast.
From the UF student daily, the Independent Alligator (“UF students to fast in support of migrants,” 2/23/12):
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Victor Yengle, a 23-year-old economics junior, Juliette Barbera (right), a 20-year-old criminology junior, and Rain Araneda, a 31-year-old environmental engineering senior, will join about 50 others in a weeklong fast to protest Publix’s refusal to join a migrant workers rights campaign… … Gainesville religious and political leaders thanked the activists for their efforts Wednesday afternoon during a press conference. ‘I commend and I honor the work of the [supporters] for acting on these words,’ said City Commissioner Randy Wells. ‘That is powerful.’ Yengle and Barbera will join other supporters in Lakeland to fast. Araneda will fast on her own while she volunteers with Habitat for Humanity in Georgia.
In addition, he said he hopes the UF administration takes his actions to heart if it chooses to work with Publix in the future. He said he hopes UF will encourage Publix to sign onto the campaign. ‘I wouldn’t want our academic excellence to be attached to any injustices,’ he said.” |
“Three UF students will spend their Spring Break fasting to bring attention to the unfair treatment of tomato pickers.
Yengle (left) said he is protesting to make students aware of the issues workers face, particularly those in Immokalee, Fla., who are fighting against below-minimum-wage pay, sexual harassment and a lack of basic human rights.Even well ahead of its launch, next month’s Fast for Fair Food is clearly having a powerful impact, revealing the stark moral divide that separates, on the one hand, workers and consumers calling for simple and attainble economic justice, from Publix which, on the other hand, continues to stubbornly defend an outdated market that impoverishes workers at the bottom of the food industry.
The call for fundamental human rights in the fields is growing daily. Check back again soon for much, much more on this fast breaking action.