Student Action With Farmworkers

SAF BRINGS STUDENTS AND FARMWORKERS TOGETHER TO LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER'S LIVES, SHARE RESOURCES AND SKILLS, IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR FARMWORKERS, AND BUILD DIVERSE COALITIONS WORKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.

INTO THE FIELDS INTERNSHIP: TWENTY-FOUR INTO THE FIELDS STUDENTS CONDUCTED OUTREACH TO NEARLY 3,158 FARMWORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN LABOR CAMPS AND COMMUNITIES. STUDENTS WORKED ON SITE AND LIVED IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY WERE SERVING. THE STUDENTS WORKED WITH LEGAL, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND ORGANIZING PARTNERS. THEY INFORMED WORKERS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS, TAUGHT ESL, MENTORED MIGRANT STUDENTS AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH, AND DID HEALTH OUTREACH. THEY CREATED VIDEOS, NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH THE LARGER PUBLIC THROUGH BLOGS.

EDUCATION & ADVOCACY - FROM THE GROUND UP: SAF STAFF AND INTERNS CONDUCTED VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS ON ISSUES RANGING FROM CHILD LABOR TO FOOD SECURITY. WE HAD 43 PARTNERS FOR FARMWORKER AWARENESS WEEK, AND CONTINUED TO BUILD ON THE POWERFUL INFLUENCE OF UNIONS AND STUDENT ACTIVISM. WE CO-COORDINATED COMMUNITY EVENTS, BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. OUR COSECHA FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WAS ON HIATUS FOR THE FY 2022-2023 AS WE REVIEW THE PROGRAM. MEAT PROCESSING WORKERS DURING THE PANDEMIC.

LEVANTE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE: TEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM FARMWORKER FAMILIES IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA PARTICIPATED IN THE LEVANTE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE PROGRAM. THEY RECEIVED TRAINING, MENTORSHIP AND TUTORING. THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS FOCUSED ON LEARNING ABOUT HEAT STRESS, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND THE FARMWORKER JUSTICE MOVEMENT. THEY MADE ONE CAMPUS VISIT TO A NORTH CAROLINA UNIVERSITY. THE STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A DOCUMENTARY WORKSHOP. THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF RETURNING TO FULLY IN-PERSON MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS. SOLIDARIDAD INTERNSHIP: FIVE COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM THE RALEIGH-DURHAM AREA WORKED AS INTERNS FROM SEPTEMBER TO APRIL. THE INTERNS MET WEEKLY TO PARTICIPATE IN WORKSHOPS, PANELS AND SITE VISITS. THEY LEARNED ABOUT FARMWORKER JUSTICE AND NONPROFIT WORK. THEY MET WORKER RIGHTS ADVOCATES, PLANNED SAF EVENTS, CREATE COMMUNICATION TOOLS, AND ORGANIZE ACTIONS. THEY ALSO SUPPORTED SAFS ADMINISTRATIVE AND OUTREACH WORK.