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6 de Noviembre, 2006
Alimentación del Mundo
Categorized under Acción | Tags: activism, Capitalism, Farming, UFW
AS THE SIGHTED MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE know, I support the United Farm Workers with my hard-toiling icon over there in the sidebar. It's not easy, but I forge on.
I have used the UFW image for my "favicon" image (the one that shows up for bookmarks or in your URL bar), for my teknorahdi-dahdi (we likes to party) icon, and for one of my gravatar icons, as well. This choice was not made just because the UFW's symbol is a combination of three unforgivingly striking colors. It's also because I believe very much in our right and duty and obligation to farm, to remain in touch with the earth, to retain the power of making our own food, because I feel the idea of government stealing the power to use seed to feed ourselves is evil, because I feel there is so much good about growing your food and so much that needs close attention in today's mass production and distribution systems; because farming is one of the most important powers left us, and as unthinkable as it seems, it will be taken from us in time; because (to give us who live in this sphere of luxury and comfort an immediate metaphor) those who feed us with their life's work are like the screenwriter in a Hollywood production (ignored and abused but responsible for the spine of the story) and many good farmers are (right at this moment) being exploited, squeezed, starved, and driven into bankruptcy at the hands of the kleptocracy; because my papi grew up working crop fields, and because my nanita and papi felipe (my abuelo/grandfather) lived as migrant farmworkers, and so I feel an alliance with these people. I feel my fate is inextricably tied to theirs. And truthfully, I feel all of our fates are, as well.
Item #1: If you are interested in the UFW's official election endorsements you can find them here, but all you really have to know is there is not one "(R)" on the list. Claro.
Item #2: By buying items from the UFW Store, you not only show the world where your alliances are, you actually provide cash that is used "to organize a union for farm workers." It helps. And it helps where it can matter. In addition, the store offers some beautiful art posters that inspire and recount Cesar Chavez' fast and other reflections of la causa. They have snazzy red, black, and white water bottles, mousepads, pens, and pins. So, as the site (somewhat uncharacteristically) informs us, "When your homie 'borrows' your UFW pen, you'll still have one for yourself."
P L U S they have a Buy 1 Get 1 FREE SALE, vato!!! Be Good Americans! Like Bush told us after 9/11! Go Forth and Buy!
I think of this now because in such a time of feeling helpless in the face of important struggles, the small ways are still ways of helping. Along with all the other ways one tries to help, of course.
Thank you. This has been my official late 2006 plug for the United Farm Workers®. For those who are interested, the UFW symbol also has a bit of history with El Movimiento Chicano of the 60s and 70s, and on a personal note, I recently incorporated it into the jacket design of my father's latest book (not yet pubbed), called 187 Reasons Mexicanos Can't Cross the Border.
Somewhere boys and girls are playing
huelgistas and marching for justice.
A little more practice and they can do it for real.
Viva La Causa Poster Ad Copy, UFW Store
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kick it, ése.