"We must pull it from the roots": Abolishing Modern Day Slavery

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers' Modern Day Slavery Museum came to Philadelphia earlier this month, as part of a nationwide tour to raise awareness about the recent cases of farmworker slavery that have surfaced in Florida and elsewhere. Shakoya Patterson, a member of Philadelphia Student Union, visited the museum and interviewed Oscar and Romeo, who are both farmworkers and members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). These CIW members spoke about the everyday conditions that farmworkers face, and explained how the CIW is organizing to end all forms of worker mistreatment.

According to the CIW, cases of modern day slavery need to be viewed in the larger context of farmworker rights:

Though the extent of slavery in Florida agriculture has diminished over the centuries, one thing has remained constant: farmworkers have always been and remain today the state's poorest, least powerful workers. If we are to abolish slavery once and for all in Florida agriculture, we must pull it from the roots by addressing farmworker poverty and powerlessness.

This radio piece was produced by Shakoya Patterson for On Blast with the Philadelphia Student Union. Thanks to Julia Perkins (CIW) and Miguel Andrade (MMP) for providing interpretation.

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