Communion wine and bread left at Rep McCarthy's office door.

March to Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s office

At the 2014 NFWM board meeting held in Bakersfield, California, NFWM board members joined a protest outside the Bakersville office of Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-23). Now the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Congressman McCarthy had historically not supported legislation favoring workers.  Suzanne Darweesh, Chair of the Orange County

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Bert Perry and friends

Women in the movement

“Behind every successful man, there is a great woman” as the saying goes. History books are filled with the accomplishments of men, but all too often, the successes of history’s great women are not as well known.  These are just a few of the stories of the women whose faith,

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Rev. Ruben Duran, Bishop Jesse DeWitt, Rabbi Marx, Sr Pat Drydyk, Chicago, IL

Table Grape Boycotts

“If people who grew up in the 70s learned anything about farm workers, it’s from the table grape boycotts,” said Julie Taylor, Executive Director of the NFWM. In the summer of 1970, most table grape growers in California had signed 3-year contracts with the United Farm Workers but by 1973

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YAYAs participate in the FLOC Action at Reynolds Shareholders Meeting in Winston-Salem, NC, May 2015. Photo by Alexandria Jonas

Youth and Young Adult Network

“The work of God is to give these youth opportunities to get involved and change their lives forever,” said Lariza Garzon, former coordinator of the NFWM Youth and Young Adults (YAYA) program. “The YAYAs were all about creating solidarity with the workers and the campaigns they were leading, and building

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A candlelight service at the NFWM 2011 board meeting in Washington, DC.

¡Presente!

Presente. In Spanish, it means “present or to be present.” It is a tradition in Central America to use the word as a sign of honor and respect of those who have passed. The tradition has continued to honor farm workers who have needlessly lost their lives as a result

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Support of the Coachella Strikes

“A call came from the UFW that they needed our support. The teamsters were powerful and they were in cahoots with the growers. They had come into Coachella Valley to take over and expel the UFW. We had a heated discussion: ‘let’s take an offering and send money to them,’

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UFW Constitutional Convention Pin

Throughout modern history, from social justice protests to political campaigns and rallies, participants have worn pins and buttons to spread awareness and increase visibility of the cause. These items have become collected and cherished treasures by their former wearers.  David Crump, Executive Director of the National Farm Worker Ministry in

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1971 Meeting Agenda

The Founding

“I don’t think the ministry is 50 years old. I think it is many more years old,” said Olgha Sierra Sandman, National Farm Worker Ministry original board member. As with all movements, there is no defining the beginning or end. The work started when it was needed and it took

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Tirso Moreno-Former Farmworker Association leader-Quincy Farms

Prime Mushrooms-Quincy Farms Boycott

On March 14, 1996, fed up with the conditions at Quincy Farms in the small town of Quincy in Northwest Florida, 90 mushroom pickers lost their jobs and their livelihood for peacefully raising their voices on their lunch break to demand fairness and dignity. Responding to a phone call from

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Pat Hoffman with UFW Flag

Huelga Flag from the Coachella Strike

“This flag was given to me in 1973 during the Coachella strike. I went out there a couple of times to bring people from L.A. and to join the strikers around the fields, “ said Pat Hoffman, author of Ministry of the Dispossessed and former staffer of the California Migrant

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