Alianza members engage in a number of projects throughout the year to address the issues, priorities and concerns of farmworker women. Among these, farmworker women have engaged in community education, art activism, and other awareness activities to advocate with and for campesinas across the U.S.
The Satchel (Moralitos) Campaign
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas launched the Satchel (Moralitos) Campaign to create public awareness about the health risks of pesticides exposure for farmworker women and their families. The project, which was originally spearheaded by Alianza founding member Organizacion de California de Lideres Campesinas was created in 2012.
Alianza members plan community events to inform women about how to protect themselves from pesticides exposure, share information about what people should do if they have been exposed and they provide information about existing Environmental Protection Agency's policies related to pesticides use in agricultural fields. Events are organized and held throughout January and February.
Teatros
Alianza members utilize teatros (plays) to engage in their public education efforts. These plays are aimed at raising awareness related to a host of different issues. Theater helps to illustrate the problem, but also serves as a more engaging and less intimidating manner to raise important issues, like sexual harassment and other workplace violations.
Campesinas Rising (#Campesinasrising)
Campesinas Rising is led by Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, the first national women farmworkers’ organization that fights for the human rights of campesinas. The Campesinas Rising campaign will raise awareness about and work towards eliminating violence faced by campesina women and girls, in the United States and globally. The idea of Campesinas Rising first emerged from a collaboration between Alianza Nacional de Campesinas and Eve Ensler to eradicate violence against campesinas and girls, as part of the “One Billion Rising” global movement, the largest mass action to end violence against all women and girls. Campesinas Rising will raise awareness about and work towards eliminating violence faced by campesina women and girls, in the United States and globally.
Campesinas Rising takes place on the first day of Farmworker Awareness Week, and during Women’s History Month. Throughout the day, advocacy events and actions will be carried out by farmworker women-serving and member organizations throughout the world. From social media storms (#CampesinasRising) to advocating for protections for women and girls, gender-justice and farmworkers’ rights organizations will unite with a common goal to advance a safer working space for farmworker women and girls.
Join our fight to end gender-based violence against women and girls by creating and leading an action in your area! Contact our team to get your event started, and don’t forget to join the online conversation via the #CampesinasRising hashtag!
About One Billion Rising: 1 in 3 women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. That’s ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. We rise – in countries across the world – to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face. The 2019 One Billion Rising theme is “from a campaign to a way of life”. For more info, visit onebillionrising.org