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¡Wendy’s Founder’s Day March!

[abajo en Español]

Dear Fair Food Nation:

DC Fair Food presents:

And don’t miss the after party!:

WENDY’S FOUNDER’S DAY MARCH!

Where: Lafayette Square, The White House

Date: Saturday, Nov. 16th

Time: 12:00pm – 3:00pm

RSVP on Facebook: bit.ly/wendysmarchfacebook

Register ASAP: bit.ly/wendysmarchrsvp

#WendysMarch Party!

Where: 3415 Oakwood Terrace, NW. Mt. Pleasant.

Date: Saturday, Nov 16th

Time: 8:00pm

RSVP on Facebook: bit.ly/wendysmarchparty

Please consider sending a delegation (2+ people) and/or donating to support!

We, the members of DC Fair Food, will be hosting the Wendy’s Founder’s Day March right here in our Nation’s Capital. On the 44th anniversary of Dave Thomas founding his restaurant, we will be marching throughout DC to eliminate sweatshop conditions in the fields of Florida.

DC Fair Food is DC’s local Student/Farmworker Alliance chapter – students, youth, people of faith, and community members organizing in solidarity with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) to strengthen the Fair Food Program and build a Fair Food Nation.

The Fair Food program has been recognized internationally and nationally (recently by the White House, the United Nations and the Roosevelt Institute) as one of the most effective campaigns fighting modern-day slavery and promoting worker’s rights that exists today. Today, the CIW has successfully signed with 11 major multinational corporations, including: Yum Brands (owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell), McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Chipotle, Sodexo, Bon Appetit, Aramark, Compass group, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.

However, Wendy’s has refused to sign on to the Fair Food Program. They are the only one of the 5 largest fast food chains that have not done so. If all the other corporations listed above have signed on, then why not Wendy’s?

Mobilizations like these throughout the nation have brought about unprecedented, tangible improvements to the lives of farmworkers. Without these large mobilizations and without making our voices heard as consumers, these large national corporations would have never signed the Fair Food Agreement. It is with the help of ally groups like DC Fair Food that the CIW is able to change to face of the agriculture industry for the better!

We are asking allies all over the East Coast to come and support the Wendy’s Campaign by marching with DC Fair Food and fighting for farmworker justice!

Please consider sending a delegation (2+ people) from your organization (or come just as yourself)! RSVP as soon as you can so we can get a head count!

If you can’t attend the march, please consider donating a small amount to support DC Fair Food’s efforts to build a Fair Food Nation!

Donate here: bit.ly/wendysmarch

We can’t pull off a successful march by ourselves – we need all of YOU!

For questions contact: DCFairFood@gmail.com and for more information about the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, visit: ciw-online.org

!Nos vemos en la marcha!

#WendysMarch
#DCFairFood
#FairFoodNation

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Estimada Nación de Fair Food:

DC Fair Food presenta:

Y no te pierdas la fiesta después!:

¡MARCHA DEL DIA DE FUNDACIÓN DE WENDY’S!

Dónde: Lafayette Square, La Casa Blanca

Fecha: Sábado, 16 de noviembre

Hora: 12:00 PM – 3:00PM

RSVP en Facebook: bit.ly/wendysmarchfacebook

Regístrese lo antes posible: bit.ly/wendysmarchrsvp

#WendysMarch Party!

Dónde: 3415 Oakwood Terrace NW. Mt Pleasant.

Fecha: Sábado, 16 de noviembre

Hora: 8:00pm

RSVP en Facebook: bit.ly/wendysmarchparty

Por favor considere mandar a una delegación (2 + personas) e/o donar unos dollars para apoyar la causa!

Nosotros, los miembros de DC Fair Food, estaremos teniendo Una marcha sobre el Día de Fundación de Wendy’s aquí en la capital de nuestro país. En el aniversario de 44 años desde la fundación de su restaurante de Dave Thomas, estaremos marchando a lo largo de DC para eliminar las condiciones de explotación en los campos de la Florida.

DC Food Fair es local de Student/Farmworker Alliance chapter– estudiantes , jóvenes, personas de fe, y miembros de Organizaciones en solidaridad con la Coalición de trabajadores de Immokalee (CIW) para fortalecer el Programa de Fair Food y construir una Nación de comida justa .

El programa de Fair Food ha sido reconocido internacionalmente e nacionalmente como una de las campañas más eficaces de lucha contra la esclavitud moderna y la promoción de los derechos de los trabajadores que existe en la actualidad. Hoy en día, CIW ha firmado con éxito con 11corporaciones grandes y multinacionales, incluyendo: Yum Brands (propietaria de KFC, Pizza Hut y Taco Bell), McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway , Sodexho , Whole Foods y Trader Joe’s.

El Programa Fair Food ha sido oficialmente reconocido nacionalmente e internacionalmente y recientemente reconocido por la Casa Blanca, las Naciones Unidas y el Instituto Roosevelt.

Sin embargo, Wendy’s se ha negado a firmar el Programa de Comida Justa. Son los únicos de las cinco cadenas más grandes de comida rápida que no lo a hecho. Si el resto de las empresas mencionadas anteriormente lo han firmado, entonces ¿por qué Wendy’s no lo a echo?

Las mobilizaciones en todo el país: como la Marcha del Día de Fundación de Wendy’s – han provocado sin precedentes, mejorías a la vida de los trabajadores agrícolas. Sin Movilizaciones grandes y sin que nuestra voz no sea escuchada como consumidores, estas corporaciones nacionales nunca hubiera firmado el Acuerdo de Fair Food. Es con la ayuda de grupos aliados como DC Food Fair que CIW puede cambiar la cara de la industria de la agricultura para mejoría!

Estamos pidiendo a los aliados en todo la costa Este que venga y apoyé la campaña sobre Wendy’s con DC Fair Food y luchar por justicia para los trabajadores agriculas!

Por favor considere mandar a una delegación (2 + personas) de su organización (o vengase usted)! Reserve su puesto tan pronto como sea posible para que podamos tener un numero de personas que asistirán!

Si usted no puede atender a la marcha, por favor, considere donar una cantidad pequeña a los esfuerzos de Fair Food DC para construir una nación de comida justa!

Donar aquí: bit.ly/wendysmarch

No podremos tener una marcha exitosa solos- los necesitamos a todos!

Si tiene preguntas contacte: DCFairFood@gmail.com y para más información sobre la Coalición de Trabajadores de Immokalee, visite: ciw-online.org

¡Nos vemos en la marcha!

En solidaridad,

el equipo de DC Fair Food

#2013Encuentro Fundraiser!

This week DC Fair Food and many of its community partners gathered at Haydees Restaurant for food, music, drinks and some good ol’ fashion fundraising to help send our members to the 2013 SFA Encuentro!

Thanks to YOUR support we raised enough money to send 7 members of DC Fair Food to Immokalee, Florida for SFA’s annual strategy retreat, the #2013Enceuntro.

If you were unable to attend the fundraiser but still want to support, please consider donating online: bit.ly/SFA2013

Special thanks to our sponsors, musical performers and artists who donated for the raffle: SOA Watch, Real Food Challenge, Food Justice and Son Cosita Seria, Mas Paz and Natalia Margolis!!

Wendy’s Week of Action

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Wendy’s action last Wednesday!

Wendy’s customers wanted to know why Wendy was there herself (aka Amanda). When we told them Wendy’s was refusing to join the Fair Food Program, they were outraged! One customer pulling into the drive-through turned right around. She didn’t want to support Wendys’ old-fashioned exploitation!

Join us this Thursday on U Street for more report backs and to help plan for our upcoming fundraiser!

Report Back: Wendy’s Shareholder Action in NYC

For months now the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) has been encouraging Wendy’s to join the Fair Food Program and the rest of the Fair Food Nation in the collective fight for farmworker freedom. Wendy’s current CEO, Emil Brolick, was CEO of Taco Bell when they signed with the CIW way back in 2005. Because of this, we expect Mr. Brolick to understand the importance of signing with the CIW. Last weekend, June 18th, the CIW and Student Farmworker Alliance (SFA) organized a large action in anticipation of the annual Wendy’s shareholder meeting in New York City. DC Fair Food had a strong contingency and contributed to this collective action. Here is one reflection on the weekend written by DC Fair Food member, Jon Berger.

This past weekend (June 18th), six members of DC Fair Food trekked up to New York City to participate in the CIW’s mobilization for the Wendy’s shareholder meeting. On Friday night we met other members of the Fair Food campaign for dinner, then stayed up into the morning painting banners, mounting signs, and braiding yarn so we could all look like Wendy.

After a few hours sleep, we woke up to welcome some newly-arrived allies to the space, and practice our street teatro so that we could share the story of the Fair Food campaign with anyone. Then we split into three groups to pass out flyers and deliver letters about the campaign at 3 different Wendy’s locations. Then we gathered together again at Union Square for the big action. People loved our costumes and signs, and everyone wanted to hear about how Wendy’s is the only one of the biggest five fast food companies that hasn’t signed the Fair Food Agreement.

After a street theater performance by members of the CIW and allies, it was time to march. This wasn’t just any march though, it was art! The CIW came with the large blue banners declaring the rights of farmworkers, cardboard tomato signs, and a life-size articulated puppet of Wendy thanks to the Peoples’ Puppets of Occupy Wall Street. We also had musical accompaniment by the Rude Mechanical Orchestra in the back of the march, and Sal and Cindy from DC Fair Food strumming their jaranas and singing in the front. We visited two Wendy’s locations with over 200 people, picketed for hours, and let them know loud and clear that they need to grow up and get with the Fair Food Program! Then we adjourned to a nearby union office to celebrate with home-made tamales and stories from the fields of Immokalee about the new day of farmworker rights and freedoms.

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For more information on the action, videos and photos visit www.ciw-0nline.org.

DC Fair Food Meeting ¡Vamos pa’ lante!

Join us Sunday to discuss how to move forward with momentum from the March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food! We’ll be planning out future Wendy’s actions, art-making parties and even a trip to New York!

Details: Sunday, April 28th at 8pm @155 U Street NW. RSVP on Facebook!

And in case you need some more inspiration…

Missed the meeting? Here are the notes!

Meeting Notes – April 28, 2013

Planning for May 18th Wendy’s shareholder action in NYC

There will be a day-long summit in NYC on May 17-18th in anticipation of the Wendy’s shareholder meeting on May 23rd; SFA wants allies to join!
DC Fair Food can contribute leftover art from RFC action in Baltimore; we can also make more next meeting
We got lots of art from the RFC action in Baltimore — will bring to NYC, and potentially make more next weekend during meeting
Intention would be to bring folks who haven’t joined Encuentro, etc. in the past, so would love to bring new folks in this way
Cassidy/Amanda potentially leading a workshop
Tentative plan: head up Friday night/Saturday morning by bus. Who has a car??
Who can come (as of now)? Jon, Melissa, Benjamin, Cassidy, Samuel (?)
Meeting next Sunday to check-in on transportation, etc. @ 7pm — Amanda’s house

UN Delegation to Immokalee

This Wednesday, UN is holding a press conference with preliminary findings from a trip to Immokalee and elsewhere
Melissa, Benjamin, others (?) are potentially planning to attend — Jon will follow up with Citlalic/Claudia on what the CIW’s ask on this might be

REPORT BACK: March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food!

We just returned from the March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food! We took a big charter bus down with allies from all over the East Coast to join up with the Student/Farmworker Alliance and Coalition of Immokalee Workers! We joined them just in time for two days of marching and fantastic celebration. Se puede? Se pudo!

Take a look at our Northeast crew and all the fun times we had together! Pa’lante!

Photo credit: Lauren Dever and Daiva Yee

March for Rights Respect and Fair Food!

March for Rights Respect and Fair Food!!!

On March 3rd, workers from Immokalee and their allies from across the state and the country will begin a two-week, 175-mile march from Ft. Myers to Publix corporate headquarters in Lakeland, Florida. The marchers will be calling on Publix to join the CIW’s Fair Food Program, the groundbreaking system of human rights standards, worker-to-worker education, and market-based enforcement mechanisms that is transforming Florida’s tomato fields into a model for social responsibility in the US produce industry.

DC Fair Food will be organizing a caravan to head down to Florida for the last, culminating weekend of the action!

Register here!

The caravan will leave at approximately 5pm on Thursday, March 14th, 2013 and returning to DC at approximately 8am on Monday, March 18th 2013.

We want YOU to come with us to Florida!

Email us to RSVP or get more information: dcfairfood@gmail.com
Check out the Facebook event to see who else is coming!

The Fair Food movement began nearly thirteen years ago, in February of 2000, when farmworkers from Immokalee — who until then had been largely locked in anonymous battle with Florida tomato growers within the boundaries of Immokalee — joined forces with students, people of faith, and everyday consumers to take their call for “Dignity, Dialogue, and a Fair Wage” on the road. With little more than a map to guide them, a field truck to carry their supplies, and a 12-ft tall replica of the Statue of Liberty made of fabric, plaster and duct tape to lead the way, they took off on a two-week long trek from Ft. Myers to the offices of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association in Orlando.

In 2000 the CIW and allies marched for justice:

“The two-week, 230-mile “March for Dignity, Dialogue, and a Fair Wage” (right) begins in Ft. Myers…”

In 2013 the CIW and allies will march again:

“Join us as we take to the streets again for the two-week “March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food” from Ft. Myers to Lakeland, Florida!”

Fundraiser: Son Cosita Seria y Los Gallos Negros

DC Fair Food is proud to present Son Cosita Seria and Los Gallos Negros! These two music groups brought traditional Mexican folk music to the streets of Washington DC for a great jam session for DC Fair Food’s Valentine’s Day Fundraiser. We enjoyed the good company and good music with some pupusas at Haydees Restaurant. Thanks to our musical allies for bringing us a great evening and to Doña Haydee at Haydees Restaurant for the delicious food and drink!

CIW takes on Wendys!

Old fashioned is right!…

It’s time for Wendy’s to join the rest of the fast-food industry in the 21st century and support the Fair Food Program!

What about Wendy’s?

With one glaring exception, the top five fast-food companies in the world have joined the Fair Food Program, paying a penny-per-pound premium on the tomatoes they purchase from Florida growers and requiring their suppliers to meet the more modern, more humane labor standards contained in the Fair Food Code of Conduct.

Wendy’s is the only member of the Fair Food Family that has yet to join the Fair Food Program! Look at when all the other members of the family joined: Taco Bell (2005) McDonald’s (2007), Burger King (2008), Subway, (2009). Chipotle (2012).

Join consumers from across the country in the coming weeks as they call on Wendy’s to partner with the CIW in advancing the human rights and dignity of farmworkers in its supply chain!

Continue reading “CIW takes on Wendys!”

Inaugurating Wendy into the CIW Campaign

DC Fair Food’s first letter delivery to Wendy’s manager at the Petworth location!

This January President Obama was not the only person being sworn into office. DC Fair Food swore Wendy into the Coalition of Immokalee Worker’s campaign! Although DC Fair Food suports this, Wendy’s, the corporation, has yet to sign with the CIW showing that they care about farmworker justice.

Wendy’s says they have “old fashioned hamburgers” when what they really have is “old fashioned exploitation.”