DONATION: Student Farmworker Alliance

This week, I'm making a donation to the Student/Farmworker Alliance:

http://www.sfalliance.org/

I'll be making this donation tonight at "Jam for Justice," an exciting music and art event brought to you by local SFA organizers in order to raise funds, raise awareness, and have a good time in the process.

Jam for Justice is tonight at 9 pm at Tres Hombres in Carbondale. Come have a drink (if you drink), listen to awesome music, and support farm workers all in one night! Bands include: The Ivas John Band, Nighty Night, The Jug Dealers, and Matt Mings on acoustic guitar. There will also be Live Art for auction by Justin Rosenfield and raffle tickets for sale. Raffle prizes include: a $50 Longbranch gift certificate, 2 free entrees from Global, fair trade chocolate from Town Square Market, gift certificate for Fat Patties, a two-topping Pagliais pizza, and more! Cover charge is $5 at the door -- and I know economic times are tough, but this is cheaper than a movie, and far more entertaining than anything Hollywood has to offer at the moment.

In case you're not familiar with them, the Student/Farmworker Alliance (SFA) is a national network of students and youth organizing with farmworkers to eliminate sweatshop conditions and modern-day slavery in the fields. They work in alliance with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a membership-led organization of mostly Latino, Haitian, and Mayan Indian farmworkers and other low-wage workers based in Southwest Florida. They understand their work - which formally began in 2000 - as part of larger movements for economic and social justice.

Most of my donations toward Causes will be going toward purely local organizations. However, the local supporters of the SFA and CIW have been very active and productive in this cause for several years now, and I want to support their local work in the service of a broader social justice cause. Their work has offered concrete material support for the SFA and CIW while also inspiring local people, especially young people, to get involved in this and other solidarity work. Solidarity with working people in other regions is very important, and these local organizers are leading the effort to ensure that our food and services aren't brought to us through the exploitation of workers in other regions.

If you're fortunate enough to have money in your pocket after you've paid for food, shelter, utilities, and so on, consider making a donation to Student/Farmworker Alliance, either by attending Jam for Justice or contacting local organizers Erica Dodt [ erica@sfalliance.org ] and Katie Lenza [ ktlenza@gmail.com ]. You can also contact them if you would prefer to get involved by volunteering, participating in future events, etc. They've done some great work for the cause, but that work will only reach its full potential with proper support from people like you.

Thanks for listening, and thanks for any support you can send their way!