C of C 1-29-22 Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW)
Channel: Tim Bolger
Date: 01/02/2022

Meetings # 3,651
​The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is a worker-based human rights organization internationally recognized for its achievements in fighting human trafficking and gender-based violence at work. The CIW is also recognized for pioneering the design and development of the Worker-driven Social Responsibility paradigm, a worker-led, market-enforced approach to the protection of human rights in corporate supply chains.

Built on a foundation of farmworker community organizing starting in 1993, and reinforced with the creation of a national consumer network since 2000, CIW’s work has steadily grown over more than twenty years to encompass broad and overlapping spheres.  https://ciw-online.org/

The farmworker from CIW who will be presenting on Saturday is Silvia Sabanilla. Here is her bio: 

Silvia Sabanilla is a staff member and leader of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW).  Originally from Mexico, Ms. Sabanilla worked in the agricultural industry across the South for more than 17 years as a harvester, picking tomatoes, peppers, and other mixed vegetables.  As part of the Fair Food Program, Ms. Sabanilla and her colleagues conduct workers’ rights education in the fields on all farms participating in the Fair Food Program.  Ms. Sabanilla’s work at the CIW includes hosting daily radio shows on the CIW’s low-power community FM radio station, leading the weekly Women’s Group meetings, receiving complaints of abuses in the fields, and managing wage theft claims.  Finally, Ms. Sabanilla represents the CIW at a national level, speaking publicly on the challenges faced by farmworkers in Florida, both during major actions with thousands of consumers and in dozens of presentations throughout the year.