BY LDAPFAMILIA
This spring over one hundred farmworkers and their families traveled from Immokalee, Florida and gathered here in Gainesville, Florida where they marched accompanied by students, faith leaders, and community members through the University of Florida campus. These farmworkers were on the last leg of the 4 for Fair Food tour, where they visited four major Universities on the east coast, demanding that there be accountability put on the fast food company Wendy’s for refusing to sign onto the Fair Food Program. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ The Fair Food Program is a unique partnership among farmers, farmworkers, and food companies that ensures that human wages and working conditions for the workers who pick the fruits and vegetables that feed us are respected.
Wendy’s is the last remaining major fast food company that refuses to sign on to the program because it chooses to put profit before people. Wendy’s has refused to listen to the farmworkers that pick the tomatoes for their burgers for the last four years. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has called for a national boycott of Wendy’s until it agrees to sign onto the Fair Food Program. The University of Florida currently has two Wendy’s on campus; one at the Reitz Union food court and one at the Shands Hospital. Students and faculty members here at the University of Florida are asking that the administration cut the contract with Wendy’s until it agrees to sign onto the Fair Food Program, which would ensure that the tomatoes that are used in their burgers are being picked by workers whose rights are being respected.
On March 14 th more than 300 hundred allies marched alongside farmworkers through the University’s campus calling on President Fuchs to meet with the farmworkers who had come to demand their rights be respected and voices be heard. Before the march stepped-off the community gathered in Norman Field to celebrate the final march of 4 for Fair Food tour. The march was full of life, music, and solidarity. The gritos of the people echoed throughout campus during the march:
“J-U-S, J-U-S-T-I-C-E is what we want. Justice in Immokalee!” along with “El pueblo, unido, jamás será vencido!” and “Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Exploitation’s go to go!”
The march culminated at the steps of Tigert Hall, where the doors were locked by administration and President Fuchs coincidently found himself in Tallahassee that particular day. Nonetheless the march was once again celebrated by music, dance, and beautiful speeches given by farmworkers, students, and faith leaders. All asking the University of Florida to cut the contract with Wendy’s and stand in solidarity with the farmworkers of Immokalee, Florida.
As I marched through campus I felt a strong sense of solidarity and acceptance that I hadn’t experienced before here at the University of Florida. I am currently a second year student here at the UF, but before I was ever a student I was a farmworker.
I come from the fields. I was born on a tobacco farm in South Carolina and was raised in the tomato fields of Immokalee, Florida. When marching through campus I could not help but think of my parents who at that same time were working under the sun in the tomato fields back home in Immokalee. I thought of how they have yet to visit the university that they are so proud that I attend, but most of all I thought of how this university refuses to listen to the voices of farmworkers. The administration may refuse to meet with farmworkers and students regarding the contract with Wendy’s, but I know that the demands and voices of farmworkers have been heard throughout campus.
The fight has only begun!
