FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PARA PUBLICACION INMEDIATA : September 22, 2022
CONTACT / CONTACTO : Yamiles Nunez, Social Media and Communications Specialist, yamiles.nunez@campesinasunite.org (832) 427-7234
Farmworker Women Deserve Environmental Justice, Long Overdue
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas supports the Environmental Justice for All Act (H.R.2021), specifically to address the many environmental injustices that exist in our food system.
Farmworkers, especially women, have had to endure unnecessary pesticide exposure, live in contaminated areas and, most recently, endure wildfires that are ravaging parts of California and other states. Too many farmworker children are born with health issues and special needs due to the use and misuse of pesticides.
Idania, who has been a farmworker for 17 years in florida says “we need better protections for farm workers. Often, we are asked to work while pesticides are being sprayed. If we refuse to work under those conditions then we forfeit the day's pay.”
The Environmental Justice for All Act, in part, would help address the many historical injustices that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have suffered in the US food and farm system. The Act, if it would become a law, would take important steps toward addressing the cumulative effects of historical wrongs that have been done to our communities, particularly through supporting research on health disparities, calling on increased government enforcement of new and existing regulations, and assisting BIPOC communities transition away from using fossil fuels.
“Agriculture is one of the most dangerous employment sectors, but it is also the most essential, '' says Josefina, who has been employed as a farmworker for over 5 years. “I suffer from headaches, vomiting, allergies, and irritation all over my body from pesticides.”
The food and farm system doesn’t stop - fruits and vegetables need to be harvested. Unfortunately this means that many farmworkers have no choice but to work under unsafe workplace conditions. Making the Environmental Justice for All Act a law would be a significant, positive change for BIPOC communities, farmworkers included. Alianza sees hope in the initiative, particularly towards addressing the many deep-seated historical injustices that our communities have had to endure for far too long.
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Campesinas Exigen Justicia Ambiental
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas apoya la Ley de Justicia Ambiental para Todos (H.R.2021), específicamente para abordar las muchas injusticias ambientales que existen en nuestro sistema alimentario.
Lxs trabajadorxs agrícolas, especialmente las mujeres, han tenido que soportar una exposición innecesaria a pesticidas, vivir en áreas contaminadas y, más recientemente, soportar incendios forestales que están devastando partes de California y otros estados. Demasiados hijxs de campesinxs nacen con problemas de salud y necesidades especiales debido al uso y mal uso de pesticidas.
Idania, quien ha sido campesina durante 17 años en Florida, dice que “necesitamos mejores protecciones para lxs campesinxs. A menudo, se nos pide que trabajemos mientras se rocían pesticidas. Si nos negamos a trabajar en esas condiciones, perdemos el pago del día”.
La Ley de Justicia Ambiental para Todxs, en parte, ayudaría a abordar las muchas injusticias históricas que han sufrido la comunidades negras, indígenas y personas de color en el sistema alimentario y agrícola de los EE. UU. La ley daría pasos importantes para abordar los efectos acumulativos de los errores históricos que se han cometido en nuestras comunidades, particularmente apoyando la investigación sobre las disparidades en la salud, exigiendo una mayor aplicación por parte del gobierno de las reglamentaciones nuevas y existentes, y ayudar a las comunidades BIPOC a dejar de usar combustibles fósiles.
“La agricultura es uno de los sectores laborales más peligrosos, pero también es el más esencial”, dice Josefina, quien ha trabajado como campesina durante más de 5 años. “Sufro de dolores de cabeza, vómitos, alergias e irritación en todo el cuerpo por los pesticidas”.
El sistema alimentario y agrícola no se detiene: es necesario cosechar frutas y verduras. Desafortunadamente, esto significa que muchxs campesinxs no tienen otra opción mas que trabajar en condiciones de trabajo inseguras. La Ley de Justicia Ambiental para Todxs haría un cambio significativo y positivo para las comunidades BIPOC, incluidos lx campesinxs. Alianza ve esperanza en la iniciativa, particularmente para abordar las muchas injusticias históricas profundamente arraigadas que nuestras comunidades han tenido que soportar durante demasiado tiempo.
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Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Inc. (Alianza) is the first national farmworker women’s organization in the United States founded and led by farmworker women, and those who hail from farmworker families. A coalition of 15 grassroots, farmworker organizations across 20 states and the District of Columbia, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas advocates for the civil, constitutional, and human rights of our country’s more than 700,000 farmworker women, and other women workers, who form the backbone of our farm and food systems.