How have you been?
We hope this message finds you and your loved ones well and healthy! So much has happened since we sent out our last newsletter, way back in Spring of 2021.
Since then, in June of 2021, Alianza was awarded an $8.1 million grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to help build COVID-19 vaccine confidence and bolster vaccinations in underserved communities. That project - successfully completed by our courageous, hardworking, and chingona companerxs has not only saved lives, but got Alianza national attention. We are currently working on a documentary about our work that will be released soon! Farmworker women led a public health mission, on the frontlines with one another serving our communities. Let's be honest, we’ve been doing this kind of work all our lives. But now, we are starting to get the recognition that we deserve.
And who is taking notice of our work? None other than President Joe Biden! That’s right, in March of 2022, myself, along with Lorette Picciano of Rural Coalition, received personal invitations to the White House to celebrate Women’s History Month. For more on that event, and some pictures, just keep reading this newsletter!
If that wasn’t enough, our people have been organizing movements to end child detention at Fort Bliss, brought legal action with the support of EarthJustice against EPA for the use and misuse of pesticides, combat gender-based violence, and advocate for a long, overdue pathway to citizenship for all farmworkers, as well as for all 11 million undocumented immigrants and migrants across the country. We also stand in solidarity with all the women and girls in Ukraine fighting the Russian invasion.
In our spare time (who are we kidding, there is none!) We continue to build an alternative economy that values and respects life over profits through our project, Campesinas Helping to Create a Safe and Healthy Mother Earth.
Anyway, let me just take a minute here, to appreciate the time, governance, and guidance of our diligent board members, our member organizations who worked tirelessly in their communities, and the Alianza staff who put in countless hours of work to advocate for the rights and dignity of our campesinas and their families.
We also want to express our appreciation to our funders and individual donors who continue to make our work, on behalf of hundreds of thousands of campesinas, possible through their generous contributions.
In this newsletter you will read about the various efforts of Alianza, our member organizations and the many campesinas struggling to find solutions to benefit our lives and those of their fellow workers and compatriots. As always, united in the struggle!
Abrazos,
Mily Treviño-Sauceda
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VAWA has been Reauthorized! |
Alianza Nacional de Campesinas applauds the Biden-Harris administration’s reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)! That’s right, after much struggling, On March 16, 2022, President Biden signed the reauthorization into law. On that day, our executive director, Mily Treviño-Sauceda, represented our organization and all campesinas at the White House event where President Biden made history. VAWA is a landmark law that offers protection and resources to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. As a Senator, President Biden helped write the original VAWA legislation in 1994. |
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Vaccination clinic at the border in San Luis, AZ hosted by Campesinos Sin Fronteras. Click HERE for more.
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In June of 2021, Alianza, in partnership with five of its member organizations (Campesinos Sin Fronteras, Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Farmworker Association of Florida, Lideres Campesinas, and the Rural Coalition), and the Migrant Clinicians Network, created a workforce of community outreach and health workers to reach farmworkers and other migrant, immigrant, and rural families in 20 states and parts of Puerto Rico. The project also included Native American and Black farming communities who are part of Rural Coalition. |
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Elizabeth Cordero at a vaccination clinic in Oxnard, CA. |
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Elvira Carvajal distributing important COVID-19 materials. |
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We got over $8 million from the Department of Health and Human Services to do this work! And, we did it! Si se puede! And who would doubt us? We care for our families, our food system, and the Earth! Officially wrapping up the project in March of 2022, we helped vaccinate more than 80,000 people and did outreach, in person and through digital platforms, to more than two million people. |
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Site visit with The Farmworker Association of Florida (Fellsmere). Click HERE for more.
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Check back in our next newsletter for more ‘Tea Time with Elvira’ Recipes and Recommendations! |
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Since our last newsletter, our team has grown so much! We would like to take this opportunity and invite you to get to know Anna. |
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Hello! My name is Anna Obregon. I am a third-generation migrant farmworker and have experienced both domestic & sexual violence. On my time off I enjoy reading, dancing, and stand-up comedy. Laughter has been one of my means for unwinding.
I joined Alianza in July of 2021 from South Florida through a temporary six-month HRSA COVID Vaccination Project. Through this work, we partnered with six organizations who reached over two million people and assisted approximately 80,000 to get vaccinated throughout twenty states. I worked as the National Supervisor on this project, supervising the coordinating team, collaborating with partners on our goals, and conducting monitoring meetings/site visits. During this time with Alianza I have witnessed how its mission manifested into a true tangible life-changing movement for farmworker women and girls nationally. Unifying and providing leadership tools for Campesinas throughout the nation to advocate for themselves and others on their human rights. For this reason, I am motivated to continue my journey alongside Alianza as the Violence Against Women (VAW) Initiative Priority Area Supervisor to help my fellow “Campesinas” heal while making strides towards justifiable human rights.
Additions to our team also include:
Cynthia Vanderpool García, National Policy and Advocacy Coordinator
Yamiles Nuñez, Communication and Media Specialist
Natassha Areola, Executive Assistant
Monica Montejo, Administrative Assistant
Roxana Chavez, Regional Organizer
Fatima Chavez, Mother Earth Project Coordinator
Hormis Bedolla, Regional Organizer
Francisca Aparicio, Regional Organizer
Marlene Rojas, National Program Coordinator
Veronica Treviño-Sosa, National Violence Against Women Initiative Coordinator
Marisa Treviño-Sosa, Finance Assistant
Jose Quintana, Communications Documentarian
Dolores Treviño, Administrative Assistant
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Alianza Nacional de Campesinas represented all farmworker women at the Women's History Month White House celebration on March 22nd, 2022. Our executive director, Mily Trevino-Sauceda, was invited and had the pleasure to attend the exclusive event that honored the generations of trailblazing women and girls who have built our Nation. Lorette Picciano, the Executive Director of Rural Coalition, was also in attendance. At the event, President Biden acknowledged a number of women who have made historic achievements, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Katherine Tai, Isabel Guzman, Avril Haines, Jennifer Granholm, Janet Yellen, Deb Haaland, Gina Raimondo, Marcia Fudge, Shalanda Young, as well as other notable women. Acknowledging farmworker women at the Women’s History month event at the White House is a positive, long overdue first step in addressing the many of our food system’s deep injustices. And we deserve it, no doubt! |
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First Lady Dr Jill Biden and Mily |
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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Mily |
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President Joe Biden and Mily |
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Enough with the Violence! |
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ATTN: If you or someone you know is in a domestic violence situation, you can seek help by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Click HERE for more information and resources. You can also always reach out to our member organizations
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Alianza Nacional de Campesinas once again joined the global movement, One Billion Rising, to advocate for the end of gender-based violence. Farmworker women not only experience gender-based violence at a disproportionate rate when compared with other groups, but also have to endure exploitation by employers and grueling work conditions.
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Often cases go unreported because of fear related to immigration status and other related threats. On February 14th, farmworker women from across the country, along with their families and communities, hosted gatherings, virtually and in person, to uplift the voices of survivors, share important information, and rise against gender-based violence. This campaign is just the beginning! |
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Campesinas Rising is our nationwide annual campaign to raise awareness about and work towards eliminating the myriad forms of violence faced by farmworker 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 VDay, headed by V - formerly known as Eve Ensler - as part of the “One Billion Rising'' global movement. The campaign kicks off each year on March 25th, which is the first day of the National Farmworkers Awareness Campaign, and draws attention to the unique struggles that women farmworkers face. During the Campesinas Rising campaign we hosted a social media campaign where we amplified the voices of campesinas demanding an end to violence against campesinas and mother earth. |
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Alianza has been featured prominently in many news outlets. Here are some of the headlines this year:
This piece written by our executive director, Mily, was featured in 10 different publications including the Yakima Herald, the Cherokee Tribune, and ArcaMax. Reaching over 100,000 people.
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President Biden, Listen Up! |
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Every year, the President of the United States gives the "State of the Union'' address to the United States Congress. There, he discusses the current conditions in the U.S. We believe that the struggle of the agricultural community and campesinas deserves to be heard and shared as well. This is why Alianza once again organized the #EstadoDeLaCampesina to call attention to the realities that campesinas in the U.S. face. |
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On March 1st we hosted a social media storm to bring attention to the experiences of campesinas that are often not addressed by our government. The goal of this digital campaign is to share and uplift the voices of campesinas as they share their struggles, priorities, and demand change. Additionally, we hosted a webinar “Alianza’s response to the State of the Union'' on March 2nd where we shared our thoughts and reactions along with our member organizations. Click HERE to watch.
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The Morralitos Campaign started in 2009 by our member organization Líderes Campesinas to raise awareness about the use of pesticides, while farmworkers are working and living near the fields with their families.
This year the campaign was held from January 15th to February 15th, thousands of farmworker women from across the country, along with their families and communities, designed and exhibited colorful Morralitos (small satchels). The Morralitos are decorated with images and messages that express the concerns of farmworkers about pesticide exposure, share important health and safety information, and demonstrate the toxic impact of pesticides. This year our member organizations held over 180 exhibits that featured over 1,400 morralitos.
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On September 21, 2021, Alianza joined a coalition of farmworker groups, environmentalists, and health organizations represented by Earthjustice to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approving the continued use of the deadly pesticide paraquat, which has been linked to Parkinson’s Disease.
“Paraquat is a pesticide that has harmed too many of our farmworkers already! We cannot allow any more farm workers and their families to be exposed,”- Mily Trevino-Sauceda
Click HERE to read the full press release by EarthJustice.
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Growing Food for Communities, as We Know How!
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Alianza Nacional de Campesinas is proud to be a recipient of the Mosaic Movement Infrastructure Grant and the Solidaire Network Movement Infrastructure Fund for farmworker women to reorient our food, fiber, and energy systems. With these resources, we will help heal the land and restore balance in our ecosystem through our collaborative project, Campesinas Helping to Create a Safe and Healthy Mother Earth. The project was launched in Spring of 2021 in partnership with our member organizations La Mujer Obrera, Lideres Campesinas, and Rural Coalition. This collaboration has grown to include Mujeres Divinas, Mujeres Luchadoras Progresistas, Campesinos Sin Fronteras, PCUN, and Mujeres Campesinas Unidas de Florida. The project draws upon the ancestral knowledge and experience that exists within our communities to show that humanity can transition away from an extractive relationship with the land, to a mutually beneficial and respectful one. As part of the project, Alianza and our partners have started community gardens in our towns and neighborhoods. |
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We continue our monthly food distributions to help feed our community. Even though the pandemic has affected everyone in one way or another, COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted farmworkers. Many of whom do not have access to the food that they help grow. Our distribution helps feed more than 1600 families with an average of 4-5 members per family. A special Thank you to Polo’s Pantry, Food Forward and everyone who helps make this distribution possible.
Check out the video below from our December 2021 food distribution.
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Highlights of our work in 2021! |
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On July 28th of 2021, Alianza had its very first funders briefing. Mily, our executive director began the briefing by giving an overview of the history of Alianza, how it came to be and why. We heard from a couple of our funders, and Alianza board members shared the outcomes and findings from our previous convivencia. The briefing concluded with a Q&A session on the most pressing needs for Alianza. We would like to thank everyone who joined us and the Alianza team for their hard work. Also, a special thanks to V and Susan Swan from V-Day, and Katie Robinson from Mosaic for guiding us in putting together our first funder’s briefing! Gracias!
You can view our full Convivencia Report HERE.
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In July of 2021, families with children younger than 18 began to receive monthly payments of the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) authorized under the American Rescue Plan. However, due to changes under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, undocumented children or children with Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs) were excluded from the credit for the first time, despite being among those most impacted by the pandemic. Alianza and our allies have been urging Congress to permanently expand the credit and to make it inclusive of all children to assure the safety, security, and well-being of families across the country, including the many that form part of our farm and food systems
Alianza continues to advocate for robust economic supports like the Child Tax Credit, and to make them permanent and inclusive of ALL children and families.
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Since 1989, October has been nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, a month to acknowledge and uplift the voices of domestic violence survivors and their families. Throughout the month, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas raised awareness among rural communities on ending domestic and sexual violence against farmworker women and girls through our Mandilito Campaign.
The Mandilitos represent the aprons that women and girls usually wear in the home. As part of the campaign, campesinas and their families decorate and exhibit the Mandilitos, which serve as an educational tool for the members to promote dialogue on violence, toxic masculinity, healthy relationships, and gender equity. On October 30th, Alianza showcased the Mandilitos exhibits that our member organizations held across the country on our social media platforms.
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Last year, Latina Equal Pay Day, fell on October 21st, which represents the day that Latinas’ earnings catch up to what non-Hispanic white men earned for the entire previous year. To put it another way, Latinas earn 57¢ for every $1 that a white non-Hispanic man earns and must work over 21 months to earn what white men earn in 12 months. Some groups face even greater wage gaps within the Latinx community. A 2018 study found that women farmworkers on average make $4,700 less than farmworker men, and that the strongest predictor for lower wages and income among farmworkers - regardless of immigration status - was gender. On October 21st, Alianza held a social media storm to share why closing the wage gap now is not only necessary, but a key stepping stone in affording Latina women equal rights. We also took the opportunity to publicly call attention to the additional hardships that farmworker women face in the workplace, including stolen wages, immigration threats, sexual harassment and violence, and violations of their reproductive rights. Farmworker women play a key role in feeding and sustaining our families and communities, and need to be awarded the same labor protections that workers in other industries are. |
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In honor of Latina Equal Pay Day, our Labor Rights working team launched “Virtual Legal Hour with Amy Tamayo”. Once a month Amy Tamayo, legal fellow with our member organization - CDM - hosts an hour and a half session where she gives information on different topics and answers any questions that our members may have. The ideas for the topics come directly from our membership and include issues such as gender discrimination in the workplace, the right to occupational health and safety, and the right to minimum wage. |
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In addition to our actions, we meet monthly with our membership through our work teams: Pesticides, Violence Against Women, Labor Rights and Immigration to discuss the needs and promote the leadership of campesinas, in addition to creating greater visibility and advocating for changes that ensure their human rights.
We hold biweekly meetings with all our member organizations to advocate for the human rights of campesinas during COVID-19. Where we share information about the challenges and needs of farmworker families during this pandemic. We also share the efforts and actions taken by our membership to address the effects of COVID-19 in our communities, and ensure our communities can access the vaccine safely
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Upcoming work:
We will continue planning trainings for our member organizations on gender-based violence, health & safety including: heat stress, pesticides, COVID19, as well as policy and advocacy trainings on our four priority areas. For more information you can send an email to: [email protected]
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Our best wishes to all
member organizations and their families!
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Our best wishes to all
member organizations and their families!
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Alianza is eligible to receive Donor Advised Funds. |
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The Mission of ALIANZA NACIONAL DE CAMPESINAS (National Alliance of Farmworker Women) is to unify the struggle and promote leadership of campesinas in a national movement to create major visibility and advocate for change that ensures their human rights. |
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Alianza Nacional de Campesinas
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