Gainesville-area residents can learn more about the plight of farmworkers at events put on as part of National Farmworkers Awareness Week.
The Gainesville City Commission recognized the week, and Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice, the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program and the Institute of Hispanic-Latino Cultures are co-sponsoring two films with discussions and a forum.
The goal is to educate consumers about the backbreaking labor and poor working conditions of farmworkers so consumers can make educated choices, said Richard MacMaster, a member of the alliance.
All events are free and open to the public.
“Harvest of Loneliness” will play Tuesday and “Slavery By Another Name” will play Thursday. Both films show at 7:30 p.m. at the Emmanuel Mennonite Church in the Beltram Peace Center.
A presentation about Florida organization the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Campaign for Fair Food will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Quaker Meeting House.
The Campaign for Fair Food tries to improve the working conditions of Florida tomato pickers and encourage corporations to pay more to increase these farmworkers’ wages.
Paul Ortiz, director of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, said the program’s students pushed for more curriculum around farmworker history.
Victor Yengle, a 23-year-old economics junior, participated in a six-day fast outside Publix’s headquarters during Spring Break to encourage them to join the Campaign for Fair Food.
“Whenever people sit down at the table to pray for their food they always thank Jesus and their family,” he said. “But they never stop to thank the person that is exploited out in the fields and working out in the sun.”
