Three UF students will spend their Spring Break fasting to bring attention to the unfair treatment of tomato pickers.
Victor Yengle, a 23-year-old economics junior, Juliette Barbera, 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.
The fast, which will last during UF's Spring Break from March 3 to March 10, is being fueled in part by pent-up disappointment over the failure of two Florida tuition bills — one which would have granted in-state tuition to students whose parents are undocumented and another that could have given in-state tuition to undocumented students.
At the center of some students' frustration is Florida Sen. Steve Oelrich, who voted against one of the bills when it came before his committee and whose constituents include Gainesville residents. But supporters' attentions are now focused on convincing Publix CEO Ed Crenshaw to speak with the activists.
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.
Yengle 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.
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.
For him, the issue of equal rights for immigrants hits close to home.
He moved from Trujillo, Peru, to Sarasota in the early 2000s. He is still jumping through immigration hoops.
Despite the failure of the tuition bills, activists said they want to channel their anger and frustration into positive energy for other causes.
Father Les Singleton hold out pennies to supporters of fair wages for Immokalee workers. According to Singleton, it would only cost Publix a penny per tomato to pay the Immokalee workers fair wages.
