On Labor Day we honor and recognize the labor movement in our country. It is an opportunity to reflect on and pay tribute to workers who have helped this country prosper. We think of the fight for workers’ rights, especially farmworker labor from 1960s and to today. This past summer SAF interns worked with amazing organizations working on farmworker outreach and support as part of the Into the Fields summer internship (ITF).
ITF brings 25 college students from across the nation to learn about issues that farmworkers experience and work full-time for 10 weeks with organizations serving the farmworker community.
Here are some of the organizations that provided enriching experiences for SAF interns and are advancing workers’ rights to unionize, and advocating for safer workplaces and broader worker protections.
El Pueblo, a nonprofit organization based in Raleigh, works to build collective power through leadership development, organizing and direct action. Part of their work is to help community members understand their rights and learn of the diverse ways to organize together.
Hear from Jean and Sara who were placed at El Pueblo this summer:
“I realize that continued advocacy, education, and community engagement are essential. By raising awareness and providing accessible resources, we can help farm workers understand and assert their rights.”
- Jean Garcia
“Working with SAF and El Pueblo has shown me that we will be the catalyst for change, as we have been in the past. Being civically engaged does not only mean voting (although it is an important part), but it can also mean organizing protests, speaking in town hall meetings, and mobilizing our numbers into practical policies.”
- Sara Rugama
The Hispanic Liaison/El Vinculo Hispano (EVH), one of the first Latinx nonprofit organizations in North Carolina, addresses the needs of the growing Hispanic community through advocacy, leadership, and civic engagement programs. This summer, EVH hosted Deiby Ramirez:
“I worked at EVH...and had the pleasure to experience and learn about various nonprofits/advocacy group...and connect to the community and farmworkers”
-Deiby Ramirez
The National Black Workers Center (NBWC) is a Black worker power building and workers’ rights advocacy organization based in Raleigh, NC. The NBWC builds collective power amongst Black workers to achieve liberation by dismantling systemic racism and economic exploitation.
“My biggest impact was my health blog and the Know Your Rights trainings. It made me feel great to educate communities who are experiencing injustices in the workplace and the resources that are available to them if this happens.”
-Kétlye Gurrola
The North Carolina Justice Center (NCJC) (Raleigh, NC) aims to help all North Carolinians achieve economic security by expanding policies that ensure safe workplaces, fair treatment, and a strong safety net.
“This summer [I did] outreach every week and [helped] workers out with resources and explaining their rights... I think it impacted me as a farm worker because I see myself reflected in these workers.”
- Cesar Sandoval
The Farmworker Unit, a statewide project of Legal Aid of North Carolina provides legal services to address the legal needs of migrant and seasonal farmworkers in North Carolina.
This summer, Mia Navarro worked alongside staff conducting worker rights outreach to farmworkers in North Carolina.
“With this experience I hope to continue to do outreach... Now that I have all of this knowledge, I hope to bring it back to my community to continue to create an impact.”
- Mia Navarro
South Carolina Legal Services’ project The Migrant Unit provides free legal assistance to migrant and seasonal farmworkers in South Carolina. This summer Emmie Ramirez Santoyo worked alongside SCLS conducting outreach to farmworker labor camps.
“Over the summer [I helped] with outreach work and engaging with the community. I helped fill out visa forms and [create content] about farmworkers’ rights, heat stress [protections]...and played a role in [designing] the new cover for the Know Your Rights booklets [for] next year.” - Emmie Ramirez
United for a Fair Economy, a national organization with offices in Durham, NC, supports social movements working for a resilient, sustainable, and equitable economy. UFE utilizes popular education – with healing for liberation and language justice tools – in their work to facilitate workshops, training and learning experiences.
This summer, Lily Perkins worked alongside UFE in organizing and mobilizing workers across industries:
“My summer experience highlighted the idea that the struggle of one worker is the struggle of all, demonstrating the universal challenges faced by workers, whether in farmwork, at Amazon, or in municipal roles such as Durham City Workers. These conversations and observations reinforced the critical need for systemic change to address the fundamental rights and conditions of workers across all sectors.”
- Lily Perkins