Day Five of the Farmworkers March for Justice

Photos by: Matt Rosenberg

On the morning of day five of the march, the Episcopal sisters at St. Margaret’s House sent us on our way well prepared for the day ahead. It was our first day marching in the rain and they scrounged the convent to provide us with extra rain gear.
It continued raining through the morning, soaking through our shoes and socks. By noon, we were cold and wet, and ready for a break. Terry Leonard and Catholic Charities of Herkimer County welcomed us with a warm lunch at their offices as we passed through Ilion.

The rain had let up by the afternoon and, for the rest of the day our adventures consisted mostly in avoiding the huge puddles on our path. Once again, we attracted coverage from the local press, while we have also spent a good deal of time calling in to radio shows throughout the state. We can only hope that our message is being heard, and that even more people will be inspired to contact their senators and maybe even join us in Albany.

As we marched into Little Falls, we were joined by the Rev. Kim Miner of St. Paul’s Unitarian Universalist Church. In town, a large group from her congregation welcomed us with a fabulous dinner and many words of encouragement. We were touched not only by the delicious food, but by the many families and young people who came to offer their support. As we shared music and talked about our experiences on the march, and our reason for marching, the community expressed their solidarity with the cause of equality for farmworkers.

Among those who joined us for the evening was Dan Casler, New York State National Director for the National Farmers’ Organization, and member of the community in Little Falls. As a small, independent dairy farmer, Dan spoke of his appreciation for the workers he employs and his belief that farmworkers should be granted equal protections under the law. He reminded us of the importance of building alliances between farmers who are struggling to get a fair price for their product and farmworkers who are struggle for basic equality in the workplace. In his words, “We are in the same boat,” referring to the ways in which a systems that support the growth of big agribusiness robs both small farmers and farmworkers of their deserved share. Perhaps the highlight of the evening was the moment when the members of CITA and Dan realized that they were all members of Via Campesina, a worldwide coalition of farmers and farmworkers working together to fight for just agriculture policies.

Over the years, our opponents have dedicated so much energy to driving a wedge between the farmworkers and farmers in New York State. It gave us all a sense of renewal and possibility to be reminded that this antagonism is indeed unnecessary. In fact, it is in all our interests to build a healthy agricultural industry, based on sustainability, economic viability and the just and equitable treatment of workers. Only when farmworkers can stand on equal footing will they be able to invest in creating this vision.

We have now arrived to spend the night at Holy Family Parish in Little Falls. The group is settling in to sleep on the gymnasium floor of the parish hall, with promises of showers at the YMCA in the morning. Overall, it was certainly a “Cinco de Mayo” to remember.

Next stop, Canajoharie.