… Now is your moment!
Join the movement for Fair Food as a member of our Immokalee-based staff with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers!
Big news out of Immokalee: Today, we invite the Fair Food Nation to help us spread the word that we are looking for four (!) Campaign for Fair Food Coordinators and one Fair Food Program Education Coordinator to join our staff in Florida. As we look towards the future and the growth of the Fair Food Program, it is time to grow our team down here in Immokalee – and we know that there’s nowhere better to sound the call than across the network of stalwart allies that farmworkers have built a family with these many years of marching, fasting, letter-writing, and breaking bread.
In a moment when the world is – literally and figuratively – on fire, our democracy is in crisis, and far too many of our long-established fundamental human rights are under attack, efforts like the CIW’s Fair Food movement could not be more critical. This is a moment to dig in, to muster our energy, and invest in worker- and community-driven solutions that are proven to weather in the worst storms and build a future in which all people can live with dignity and respect at work.
This is a rare opportunity to live and work at the heart of the Fair Food movement, right in the farmworker community of Immokalee, learning, living, and working alongside farmworkers and community members every day, while simultaneously helping to grow a national movement. We need passionate, driven individuals more than ever, committed to following the leadership of farmworkers and helping to build a movement that has been internationally recognized for its impact in combatting long-standing human rights abuses in the agriculture industry from wage theft and dangerous working conditions to sexual assault and forced labor. Our unique, vibrant team thrives because of the vast diversity of skills and backgrounds of our staff members, so we encourage anyone who is interested to reach out and start a conversation with us!
If you are interested in the position or have candidate recommendations for us, please contact Marley Monacello (marley (at) ciw-online.org) and Julia Perkins (julia (at) ciw-online.org).
Fair Food Program Education Coordinator
This staff member’s primary responsibility would be coordinating worker-to-worker education for the Fair Food Program, with additional opportunities to support the CIW’s grassroots community organizing efforts and the national Campaign for Fair Food. Candidates will be accepted on a rolling basis and we invite anyone to apply who would have an interest in participating in the historic work led by CIW to build a modern, humane food system across the United States.
Working as a part of a team, this staff member would be primarily responsible for the following areas of work:
- Coordinating and facilitating worker-to-worker “Know Your Rights and Responsibilities” sessions with Fair Food Program Participating Growers and the CIW education team;
- Writing and submitting education session reports in English & Spanish that are used to track the progress of worker feedback and complaints;
- Organizing the database of worker complaints that are received outside of the Fair Food Program; and
- Supporting farmworker staff members and handling non-FFP worker complaints that are reported to the CIW office.
Responsibilities also include coordinating community events, meetings, and actions; supporting community member and staff needs such as driving, childcare, and interpretation; participating in staff committees that cover other areas of work; and working from the CIW community center, including regular office maintenance and cleaning.
This is a full-time exempt position, sometimes including weekend hours, with a modest salary, dental and health care benefits, and a phone bill paid by the organization. Education sessions with workers in the fields begin early in the morning, so the individual must be willing to work and drive during early morning hours.
This position also includes travel throughout Florida and other states where the Fair Food Program has expanded, mostly states along the East Coast. Periodic local and national travel is also required in support of the CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food.
We are looking for a candidate who is fluent – both verbal and written – in Spanish and English. Fluency in Haitian Creole is a plus. Interpretation experience and previous experience in a farmworker community or agriculture setting would also be beneficial.
FULL DESCRIPTION: Education Coordinator
Campaign Coordinators (four open positions)
Ideal candidates are highly responsible,work well in teams as part of a fast-paced environment, and possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. These positions will require extensive national travel.
The CIW is an award-winning worker-led human rights organization based in Immokalee, Florida, internationally recognized for its impact in combatting long-standing human rights abuses in the agriculture industry from wage theft and dangerous working conditions to sexual assault and forced labor. As the creator of the Presidential Medal-winning Fair Food Program, the CIW’s groundbreaking work has not only led the charge for eradicating egregious human rights violations in agriculture, it has created a proven path for real prevention.
Responsibilities
CIW staff members work together as a collective, following the lead of the farmworker community and striving to support and implement farmworkers’ vision for a respectful and safe work environment. As such, we welcome applicants with a diversity of skills – from educating and mobilizing different constituencies and communications and fundraising, to photography and web and design skills. We will seek to integrate new staff members into the team in such a way that suits both the needs of the Campaign for Fair Food and their individual skills.
Regional & National Mobilizing
- Formulate strategies and tactics, and contribute to the vision and direction of the national Campaign for Fair Food
- Build and maintain strong relationships with a broad network of organizations and individuals who seek to work in partnership with farmworkers in the Campaign for Fair Food, including people of faith and religious institutions, food justice advocates, worker and community groups, students and young people and/or human rights organizations
- Organize regionally and nationally to plan major mobilizations, tours and events (often involves travel)
- Develop new Fair Food Groups in priority cities and provide ongoing assistance with goals and objectives, meeting facilitation and local campaign strategies and initiatives
- Organize and coordinate calls, video conferences, and meetings with organizations and individuals
- Plan logistical elements and coordination of events and direct actions
Constituency-specific Organizing & Leadership Development
- Develop and execute strategies for the specific engagement of faith communities and students/youth in the Campaign for Fair Food
- Coordinate a youth leadership development program, including campaign strategy gatherings, skill-building trainings, and regular communication with the national Student/Farmworker Alliance Organizing Committee
- Coordinate the national Faith Working Group, a committee of national faith leaders who advise and carry out strategies to support campaign work
- Build and maintain strong relationships with religious institutions, networks, regional bodies, local congregations and individual leaders
- Develop new Student/Farmworker Alliance chapters in universities and high schools across the country and provide ongoing assistance with goals and objectives, meeting facilitation and campus-based strategies and initiatives
- Advise, develop and disseminate resources and guides for specific constituencies, including people of faith, students, academics, investors, etc.
- Plan and execute leadership conferences and events (both in-person and virtual)
- Support delegation of projects and overall coordination of the CIW Internship Program
Education & Outreach
- Co-present and facilitate workshops and presentations with CIW farmworker leaders during mobilizations, conferences, gatherings and speaking events
- Interpret between Spanish and English for presentations and support with written translation as needed
- Raise consciousness and engage ally base through targeted outreach, online actions, institutional endorsements, sign-on letters, etc
- Support worker-led campaigns and maintain strong relationships of solidarity with domestic and international organizations through the Worker-driven Social Responsibility Network
Direct Support for the CIW & Farmworker Community
- Assistance with interpretation, wage-theft cases, other needs that arise
- Assistance with rides, childcare for community meetings, troubleshooting technology and more
Fundraising
- Work as part of a team to coordinate and augment financial support through the Fair Food Sustainer Program and execute successful bi-annual fundraising drives
- Direct and coordinate congregational and grassroots fundraising strategies and efforts to meet annual fundraising goal
Communications
- Work closely with CIW’s communication team to compose and frame public messaging for the Campaign for Fair Food
- Create visual and written content for CIW’s web blog, social media accounts and email campaigns
- Coordinate with national and local reporters to build media presence for campaign actions, events and accomplishments
Qualifications
- Deep commitment to social and economic justice and to building solidarity with worker-led movements
- Two or more years of community organizing experience
- Bilingual in Spanish and English; proficiency in Haitian Creole a plus
- Excellent time management and planning skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking
- Ability to travel frequently and work long hours at times
- Proficiency with Google Workspace applications and tools preferred
- Proficiency or interest in photography and graphic design preferred
- Experience living or working in low-income, immigrant, or multi-cultural communities a plus
- A commitment of at least two years is required
Even if you do not have extensive experience in every area of work detailed above, we invite anyone to apply who has an interest in being part of this historic, farmworker-led movement to build a modern, humane food system.