Those Who Would Be Free Must Strike The First Blow. featuring: the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Greater Birmingham Ministries

“Those Who Would Be Free Must Strike The First Blow” features organizers with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Alabama Poor People’s Campaign. Join us to learn how labor organizations like the CIW and the work of the Alabama Poor People’s Campaign are capturing the imagination of thousands during these challenging times. 

A Kairos Moment is a time when crisis and opportunity collide and the possibility for something new can emerge. Join the Kairos Center for a new bi-weekly series of 30 minute talks / chats with partners, collaborators, and movement builders as we discuss what’s happening and what we’re doing to respond in this kairos moment. 

Chapters

• 1:10 Introductions
• 7:19 What it's like being an organizer in the south?
• 12:44 Disorganization in the south
• 19:19 What is the role of faith and spirituality in organizing?

Transcript

 Hello, it's Kairos time. Welcome to Kairos Time. Welcome everybody to, it's Kairos

Hello, it's Kairos time. A Kairos moment is a time when crisis and opportunity collide and the possibility for something new can emerge. Thank you all for joining us again for our new biweekly series of 30 Minute Talks with our partners, collaborators, and movement builders as we discuss what's happening in this moment and what we are doing to respond to this Cairos time.

For our second chat today, those who would be [00:01:00] free must strike the first blow. We are featuring Organi, an organizer with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Gerardo Reyes, and the Alabama Poor People's Campaign. Tricha and organizer with the Alabama Greater Ministries. Reverend Carolyn Foster. And we're going to talk about how they have been able through the work of their organizations to capture the imagination of thousands in these challenging times.

My name is Sierra Taylor. I am an organizer with the Poor People's Campaign, a national call for more revival, and I work with the Kairos Center as a cultural strategies organizer and educator with the Poverty Scholarship and Leadership development, uh, team. I would also like to, although you can't see them, but just so you know that they're here.

Thank our, uh, colleagues at the Kairos Center. Uh, Tony, [00:02:00] who is live tweeting Anna, who is moderating on Facebook and YouTube, and Pauline, who is supporting with the tech. This is truly a team effort and so although you may not see everyone, just know that we have some really incredible leaders with here, us here today.

I would first like to introduce Reverend Deacon, Carolyn Foster, who was born and raised in and educated in Birmingham, Alabama. She grew up in the Smithfield neighborhood, located in West Birmingham, which became known as Dynamite Hill during the turbulent 1960s. A reference to numerous bombing bombings of the homes of civic rights activists in the area.

Reverend Foster has worked on behalf of people living in poverty, homelessness, and with H I V aids, and in both acumen and interfaith relations. She has served as the [00:03:00] executive director of the Alabama Faith Council, a statewide coalition of people of faith who work together on to end poverty and injustice.

She has served on several state and local boards and is currently serving as the faith and community coordinator at Greater Birmingham Min Ministries. She is ordained in the Episcopal tradition for ministry, uh, in November, 2002 and serve at St. St. Mark's Church. Um, she has also studied education for ministry at the University of the South in Suwanee, Tennessee.

She is the co-chair of the Episcopal Nese Commission on race, religion, and teaches workshops on anti-racism within the Episcopal diocese. And with diverse faith communities, social and civic organizations, the Reverend Deacon Carolyn Foster is the mother of one son and [00:04:00] enjoys spending time with family reading and listening to mo music.

And I can also say, in real life, you are awesome. And, uh, I'm really happy that we get to, uh, speak with one another today. I would also like to introduce, um, A brother from my home state of Floridas with the Coalition of ILI Workers, hedos Chavez is a staff member with the award-winning human rights organization, the coalition of ILI workers, c I W.

Mr. Reyes is also a farm worker and has worked in the field since age 11. First as a peasant farmer in Mexico, and then in the fields of Florida picking oranges, tomatoes, blueberries, and watermelon. A C I W member. Since 1999, Mr. Reyes has worked with consumer allies to organize national [00:05:00] actions in the campaign for fair food.

As part of the implementation of the Fair Food Program, Mr. Reas conducts workers' rights education with thousands of farm workers on participating tomato farms. Um, Mr. RAs regularly speaks about the Fair Foods program at events across the country, such as the Harvard Law School, the Aspen Institute Labor and Work Life Program, convening on farm labor challenges, and the Interfaith Council on corporate responsibility.

It's multi-state, round table on ethical recruitment. The Aspen Institute named him a 2018 Ricardo Salina Scholar. He was a keynote speaker at the 2018 Ted Med Chaos, chaos and Clarity Conference. Um, thank you so much Hadad though, for being here as well and for the incredible work. Of the c i w, um, as a daughter of a [00:06:00] fast food worker, the work that you all have done over the years to stand up for workers at all levels in the industry, those who are seen and unseen, is tremendous.

And I really appreciate the work that you all do. Thank you so much. Thank you. All right. Now I got the introductions out of the way. Now we can hang. Um, so I wanted to talk with you all a little bit about organizing in the south. Um, we talk a lot about, uh, within the Cairo Center and also within the Poor People's Campaign, a national call for more revival of the importance of the leadership of the poor and dispossessed, uniting across lines of historic division, and also the importance and significance of the South in understanding the United States and the struggle of.

Everyone who is fighting, um, [00:07:00] for a world that puts our needs over the needs of property. So if you all, um, maybe we could start first with you, Reverend Carolyn. Just talk a little bit about the work that you all do in Birmingham and just like what it's like to be an organizer in the South. Um, for folks who don't know.

Okay. I'd love to, and thank you so much for that wonderful introduction. I'm so excited to be here with you all today, organizing in the South. Um, one thing we have to keep in mind when you're organizing in the south is you have to have a lot of patience and a lot of a strong backbone because. The problems in the south, and particularly in Alabama, uh, stems all the way back really to, to our history of slavery and, um, we, Alabama is actually the sixth poor state in the [00:08:00] nation, and that is because of our systemic.

Issues dating back to slavery, dating back to segregation, dating well, and even now to racial discrimination. So all of those systemic issues are so ingrained in our system that it takes a lot of work, a lot of hard work, a lot of, uh, sticktuitiveness to, to untangle all of those systemic issues. Um, We are not the, the six poorest state in the nation because of lack of resources or natural resources.

Because Alabama actually have, we are the most biodiverse state in the nation, and we have an abundance of water and timber, timber and minerals. You know, we have a long, we have. We are rich in things like coal, uh, steel cuz we used to be called the, uh, Pittsburgh of the south because we were really [00:09:00] strong, um, in with, uh, building of steels and pipe and things.

Our problem is systemic. Uh, has been from the very beginning. Our 1901 Constitution states in, its, in its introduction that the founders of the, uh, constitution was coming together to form and, and, uh, a constitution that was built on white supremacy. It is still that it stills our constitution still says that today.

So, one thing people need to understand about organizing in the South. Is that, um, there are good people here. Um, but the systems that have kept us in kept a grip really on poor people, on low wage workers, on, uh, unions. It all is interlocked around our systemic issues, and it takes a lot of hard work to [00:10:00] unravel and to release the grips because it's all about power.

And that that power is seated in Montgomery, in our state capital. And uh, it is hard, but it's worth it. And we do, we do take steps forward. And we continue to step, take, step forward until we can loose the grips of all of those obstacles that keep us locked into poverty and discrimination. We often talk about the South as being a bastion for reaction and the way that the south and the relationships that were created under the system of chattel slavery, as you talked about.

Have been used to continue to divide the poor and dispossessed from each other, to manipulate us into thinking that we have to fight one another for, for small resources. When in fact, like you're saying, there is an abundance of resources. And you know, if we're able to bring [00:11:00] together all those who are being harmed under the way that this current system is organized, then we could in fact, through that solidarity, um, Come together and take power for us to be able to organize our society, as you know, in our image and what we want, what we value.

Um, I really appreciated last, I think it was last weekend, my goodness time, but I was able to join the Florida Poor People's Campaign, a national call for a more revival. Their state leadership are having some. Strategic meetings. And, uh, Tony, uh, representing the, the policy team at the Cairo Center did an overview of what is going on in the SAL in terms of policies and, you know, these crises of, you know, houselessness and lack of access to healthcare and lack of access to [00:12:00] voting.

And there was one thing that he said that stuck with me, which is, You know, Florida, or I could say the south is not red. It is unorganized. And so, uh, I wanted to turn it over to you Hadar, though, to talk about what it is like organizing in Florida and the work that you all have done to bring together those who are most impacted by these systems of exploitation.

Um, to take leadership and, and, and struggle with one another, and. Yeah. The wins that you all have been able to accomplish so far have been tremendous. So if you could just talk about what it's like organizing in the South and Florida specifically. I mean the, the community has organized, um, always, uh, focusing on, on two main things, you know, on improving the wages, um, which is, you know, the est stagnation, uh, of wages.

I mean, um, 42, 40 5 cents per a 32 [00:13:00] pound, uh, bucket of tomatoes. I was, uh, the same for more than three decades. Um, And there are not many jobs that, you know, we can think of where there's no increase and it's so little to survive. So that's one thing. The other one is, uh, to address the imbalance of power between, um, Workers and their employers.

And, um, by addressing those two, uh, rs, if we are in a moving train, um, you know, that I, I started to think as a, as a reference, you know, uh, on, on what you all were saying. I was able to, to hear. Um, those are the two things that our community has always pay attention to because you cannot be. Um, someone fighting to protect your dignity while you're hungry.

You cannot, you need to be able to have [00:14:00] the things that you need. Uh, and if you don't, you need to fight for them. Um, is it difficult When I came in, yes, it was very difficult. Um, To organize, but it, it was being done. And the question that you mentioned about, um, the, the South, um, not being able to be organized, right, because it's a complex space, um, politically, but also, uh, in, in regards to where, um, You know, we're coming from, as workers, we have always been relegated to a second or third degree.

Uh, if you're a farm worker in this country or if you are a farm worker in any country, really, you know, when I was, um, growing up, working in the fields was what we had to do to survive and, um, I was mixing the work that I did [00:15:00] and school when I was very little, um, around 11 years old. And, uh, when I got here, um, and I started to participate with a coalition.

I did it because prior to that moment, um, our wages were stolen. Um, we didn't receive even though we were for two weeks. The payment that, that we should have. Um, uh, we asked for, you know, many things, uh, that had to do with just being treated, um, in, in the way that we should be as workers, you know? Um, And, uh, so when, when I got involved, uh, I met some workers that were part of the second case of modern day, uh, slavery, uh, in the fields, the case.

And, uh, these, uh, workers became my roommates and my friends, um, Antonio Francisco. [00:16:00] And they invited me to the coalition. That's how I started. Um, with that, I, um, went into just everything that had to do with, uh, with this fight, um, because we ended up sleeping on the streets, uh, while we were working, um, sleeping, not literally like on the cement, but we slept on a bus.

That, uh, crew leaders used to take people to the fields and um, and that's where we all come from, really, like, if you think about it, all the workers that have come here to look for an opportunity of a better life have come and go through situations, um, like this. And worst, you know, I, I can say that I'm lucky.

That those things, you know, are not [00:17:00] things that like impacted me in, in, in that way because all of these things, you know, are, are things that are very painful when somebody is forced to work against the will. When they're so bad stole, like in the case of my friends, um, on the side of the street as they told me, A death is imposed on you and you leave under fear, um, that you are gonna be killed.

That is what happens in these cases of modern day slavery. So yes, it's difficult, very difficult, but it is necessary to, to, uh, organize, to try to defend our dignity and to try to change things and, and also grow in the process, you know, and get, you know, to, to the point in which change is possible. [00:18:00] Um, which entails a lot of, a lot of organizing, a lot of, uh, work too.

Something that really struck me in what you were talking about is this element of dignity. You know, that when we're in struggle, it's not struggle. Our survival is not just the the substance, substance, you know, the food and the water and the shelter, but what, what comes with that? The feeling of safety, the feeling of dignity is the feeling of, you know, being a human being and being valued.

And I know that when. We all spoke last week, um, and just thought about what we wanted to share, um, as leaders in this movement in talking about the, the work that you know, that you all are doing. In particular, the two things that came up, of course, the south, but also the role of faith and spirituality, [00:19:00] um, and how that is connected to the struggle that we're engaged in.

And so I just wanted. I wanted to ask you all about that. What has been the role of spirituality in your development, uh, personally, but also with the work that you all do, the communities that you're organizing with. Um, what has been the role of faith and spirituality and why has it been important for you all to, uh, lift, um, lift this up in our work?

Um, because, um, through the work that have been going on, uh, for the past, uh, three decades, The coalition of the work is have focus, uh, from the very beginning on establishing those, uh, connections with, uh, different, uh, people of faith, [00:20:00] uh, from different, um, backgrounds that are interested in supporting this, um, in a smaller amount.

Uh, Like a smaller number of people, uh, were there at the beginning. From what I, um, what I've seen, what I understand, and, uh, that is something that was growing, uh, participation was, uh, growing very rapidly. Um, once we started, you know, to, to do the campaign for fair food, um, in 2001 when we started with Taco Bell, and, uh, it was through that, that we were able to, uh, create the power that was necessary to be able to, uh, help the industry, um, to come to the table eventually.

And, um, we, we did a lot of work, um, with, uh, different, uh, [00:21:00] groups also. But, um, so, so in regards to the importance, um, that is part of it, you know, we, we wouldn't have, um, built, uh, what we have if it was not something that we, uh, had built together. Um, and, and that is I think, what makes it work. But, um, turning on, uh, the other question for me, that question, um, makes me think of, uh, just different moments, um, where spirituality, um, I don't know how to, how to define it.

I, I, Was taken to church when I was a kid. Um, I was, uh, taken to different, uh, two different churches as I was growing up. And, and I, you know, to be [00:22:00] honest, I, I didn't really felt, uh, many times, um, that I wanted to go. Um, but, but I, but I went anyways. And, and, um, in, in that, um, I learned about, you know, the, the importance of those moments too.

Because, uh, for me, where I grew up, it was a, a, an issue of community. You know, that's where you saw your friends, that's where you would be able to, uh, hang out, play. Um, and, uh, so, so to me it is a moment like that. Uh, but in moments in which, you know, you go through, uh, Different situations. It is very important to, to, to try to connect with that part of you.

Um, I, I cannot say that I am like a religious or [00:23:00] very religious person because that's not the case. I am a human being and, uh, I think that I am a spiritual person in, in. In my own way. Um, and for me, when I think about this, when I think about the power of spirituality, I think about the moments in which people, uh, when they raise their lives to come here.

Um, how a treasure that comes from anybody, um, in your family. A prayer that comes, you know, from, uh, Your wife or your brother, your mother, it doesn't matter When you are risking your life in different situations, uh, that require you to go through that, that's when you, when you realize that's, that's what for me, it's, um, [00:24:00] spirituality is the, the ability to understand that we as, uh, human beings.

We cannot do things by ourselves or alone. So that's, that's just some thoughts. I don't know if that response, but I, yeah. So I'll jump in next. Um, I grew up in Birmingham during the time of the turbulent sixties, as you said, in my, uh, introduction. And I often wondered as a child, Why, why don't white people like us, you know, with all of the bombing and everything that was going on?

And, um, and I think that has, I, I'm, I don't wanna think, I know that that has influenced my work today because everything I have been led to do and have worked towards my whole life has been trying to bring God's people together [00:25:00] regardless of race, regardless of religion, regardless of. Na nationality. Um, I didn't see that at first.

I just knew that I thought everybody ought to get along. And so, um, my work in the interfaith realm with Greater Birmingham Ministers now, which is an interfaith organization, my work with the Poor Peoples Campaign where we say all the welcome of faith or of no faith. Just all people. We just come together and work together.

And I like what Harra said about community because that's what it's all about, is about being in community with one another and who I believe is all God's children. So for me, it has always been my leading. That is why. And then in during the sixties too, of course every, most of the folk in Birmingham area was led by a minister of some sort [00:26:00] because of their moral leaning.

So that's where I have been directed in my own spirituality. Um, I like what you said, har Geraldo about. Not being religious, cuz I don't consider myself religious either, even though I'm, I am a member of a particular denomination because religion is what slavery was about. You know, they kept folks in slavery, really, it was religion.

So it's not about that. It's about respecting the dignity of every human being, regardless. And so that has been my leading from the very beginning. I just wanted to, uh, leave it in these, uh, this final minute. I feel as though in this moment that we're in with these compounding crisis that we talk about of poverty, systemic racism of war, ecological devastation, and of course the way, uh, that religion had been manipulated against us, um, [00:27:00] by those who see themselves reclaim themselves as Christian nationalists.

I wanted to see if we could just close with you all, just giving a, it could be a prayer, it could be a blessing, it could just be a word to folks that are in struggle who may feel like everything is out of control and completely hopeless and it's just they can't see a way out of the muck, um, that we're in.

If, uh, you all would close us with just, A word. Um, for folks that are out there, I would like to just con encourage people, particularly if you are impacted by some sort of injustice, whether it's racial, whether it's poverty, whether it's, uh, economic injustice to keep the faith. Mm-hmm. To keep the faith and to hold on.

You know, I love [00:28:00] that song. Hold on just a little bit, little while longer. Come on. Yes, I know Justice is coming soon, so just continue to hold on because we, when we come together, we are powerful and it is so important for us to come together, work together, and show our power. We are sleeping giants. And when we come together, we can show our power and change and, and dismantle all of these injustices.

So just hold on. I would just say, um, you know, that I, I really, really wish that the path, um, it's clear, uh, for all of us to move forward, um, because I know that in this site, There are many misunderstandings in regards to [00:29:00] the things that make sense sometimes, um, for our people. Um, and I think that that's something that it's very, very important, um, to have in mind.

Um, so for me, I would say, um, I hope that God give us clarity to all, all of us and, and give us the opportunity to be able to do good things and to continue the fight because this is something that we most not like. Back up. Um, we need to fight and we need to do what is sir a kairos moment. Is a time in crisis when crisis and opportunity collide and the possibility for something new can emerge.

Thank you all. Which side are you on? My people. Which [00:30:00] side are you on? Which side are you on now? People, which side are you on? Well, now Florence Reese was a freedom fighter. She taught us how to fight and we'll fight all day. We'll fight all night. Until we get it right. So now, which side are you on? My people.

Which side are you on? I said, which side are you on? My people. Which side are you on? Well, now the, oh. Freedom Fighters still teaching us how to fight. So we'll fight all day and we'll fight all night until we get it right. So, hey, which side are you on? My people. Which side are you on? Oh, [00:31:00] which side are you on?

My people. Which side are you on? Well, we. Freedom fighters teaching others how to fight. So let's fight all day and fight all night until we get it right. I said, which side are you on? My people? Which side are you on? Which side are you on? My people. Which side are you on? And to the senators, which side are you on?

We wanna know which side are you on? I said, which side are you on? We wanna know which.