[hupso_hide][hupso title=”United Methodist Women denounce @Publix for rejecting #FairFoodProgram…” url=”https://ciw-online.org/”]
United Methodist Women chastise Publix for rejecting Fair Food Program, celebrate deep and growing partnership with farmworkers…
United Methodist Women just won’t take no for an answer when it comes to food justice and Florida’s supermarket giant, Publix!
Last week we posted a story about this incredible video, a moving look at three generations of United Methodist Women who are putting their faith into action for Fair Food.
Today we have two more great updates from United Methodist to share with you. First, United Methodist Women (UMW) released another great video last week, this one a broader look at their growing partnership with the CIW for farmworker justice. And second, we have a report from the United Methodist Church’s recent Florida Annual Conference in Lakeland, FL (which, we probably don’t have to remind you, is Publix’s hometown) where Florida’s United Methodist community sent Publix an unmistakable message: Farmworkers are a vital part of our community, and to turn your back on farmworkers is to turn your back on us!
First, the video. Produced by UMW for their National Assembly in Louisville this past April, the video was created in order to shine a light on the Campaign for Fair Food as a concrete, living example of UMW’s vision of “faith, hope, love in action.” To capture the spirit of UMW’s involvement, they sent a videographer to both of the major tour stops along the recent Now is the Time Tour.
At its internal debut in April, the video was shown to 10,000 women at the Louisville gathering — including none other than former Secretary of State and 2016 Presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton. Today, we have the pleasure of sharing it with many thousands more:
And that’s just Part One of the United Methodist community’s message to Publix today! At the Florida Annual Conference in Lakeland, dozens of clergy and individuals wrote prayers to Publix, urging executives to live out the beliefs that the company claims to be its founding principles. They collected the many dozens of prayers into a single, beautiful volume. And as is often the case, some of the most touching comments were written by young people, many of whom are from farmworker families.
Here below are just a few samples:
We pray for our brothers and sisters of Publix that they might find a way to put their faith and loving hearts into new action on behalf of their neighbors. The work of justice and reconciliation is difficult mere mortals but in your spirit all is possible. We trust in the movement of your Holy Spirit and look forward to the day when we celebrate a policy of fair trade with Publix soon.”
!["My grandma worked picking tomatoes for 20 years in Florida. I pray you would sign the FFA [Fair Food Agreement] so that farmworkers today can have a better life than her. Thanks, Karla."](https://ciw-online.org/wp-content/uploads/Methodist_Lakeland_2014_3876.jpeg)
Thanks. Karla.”
![[1] Dear Publix: As an organization that prides itself in being a Christian organization, it is my prayer that you would open your heart to God's heart for justice -- for the poor, the orphan, the widow, the immigrant. May your practices reflect God's care. The world is watching. --- Rev. Esther Rodriguez, Trinity United Methodist Church, Gainesville, FL" [2] "May the same spirit that brings sharing and security to Publix employees bring the same hope and stability to the workers who harvest produce for Publix shoppers. May God fill us all with compassion. Amen."](https://ciw-online.org/wp-content/uploads/Methodist_Lakeland_2014_3899.jpeg)
[2] “May the same spirit that brings sharing and security to Publix employees bring the same hope and stability to the workers who harvest produce for Publix shoppers. May God fill us all with compassion. Amen.”
Can you please reconsider the Fair Food Agreement, we are praying that you have a change of heart and really think about the lives of the people.”
As a finale to an inspiring few days together, a number of representatives of United Methodist Women joined CIW’s Nely Rodriguez to deliver the entire prayer book to the Southgate Publix in Lakeland (a Publix with a long history in the Campaign for Fair Food, including the most recent chapter of the Now is the Time Tour’s 24-hour vigil):
In sum, last week was an inspiring step forward in the ever-deepening relationship between the United Methodist community and farmworkers in Florida working to advance their own human rights through the Fair Food Program. We, too, look forward to the day when Publix joins farmworkers and consumers in the 21st century, in the movement for fundamental, verifiable human rights for the men and women who do the hot, dangerous, backbreaking and underpaid labor to put food on all our tables, and profits in Publix’s pockets.
Stay tuned for more next week on the Publix Campaign front, because the summer’s only going to get hotter for the Southeast supermarket giant…