The YAYA Orlando chapter held another yard sale on Saturday, June 9 to raise money for the NFWM and to increase community awareness of our organization and its purpose. The turnout was significant, amongst both YAYA members and neighbors – especially during the earlier, cooler hours of the event. YAYA gathered an amalgam of items to put up for sale, including computer monitors, sofas, televisions, printers, clothing, artwork, and books. As an extra source of fundraising, we set up a jar to collect donations and loose change. All unsold merchandise was dropped off for donation to the NFWM.
The yard sale was not only successful in helping us achieve our monetary goals but also in opening up dialogue and engaging shoppers and onlookers in conversation as they shopped. We handed out pamphlets explaining the importance of supporting justice for farm workers. We shared stories of our efforts and experiences as individuals and collectively as an organization. We connected with fellow members of the community who are also involved in activism and local business owners, both eager to offer their assistance in our future endeavors.
Addendum: on a personal note, this was a great experience for me, as a new member of YAYA. I gained a deeper understanding of the grave injustices that farm workers face and gained more knowledge about our organization, about how we are affected by the agricultural industry, and about the importance of having a personal relationship with the farm worker community. I also learned a lot about my fellow members. I was touched by their inclusivity and openness. I was also very impressed with the cohesiveness of the event, which can sometimes be difficult to achieve when it’s a yard sale and the weather conditions are unfavorable (heat, humidity, and the threat of rain).
Deanna Yarizadeh
Orlando YAYA
Pictures courtesy of Nico Gumbs
