My time at SAF has been more about working behind the scenes, learning about the logistical aspect of how a non-profit works, and what it takes to prep for a summer internship. I’ve gotten to learn a lot about my own working style and have gotten to experience the wonderful work environment fostered in the SAF office (something I’ll be looking for whenever I begin applying for jobs). So while I think my experience has been invaluable, I have not gotten to see as much of the amazing advocacy work that in which SAF takes part outside of the office. However, in the small glimpses I have been able to catch, I have been able to learn so much.
After attending the Día de los Muertos event commemorating farm and poultry workers that died while working or from work-related injuries, I was struck by the testimonies the poultry workers shared. I knew conditions inside meat processing plants were nothing to celebrate but I was floored by how deplorable the conditions were. The poultry workers, both men and women, shared with us how their work took such a huge toll on their bodies: working on end without bathroom breaks, making the same movement over and over, cutting about 50 chickens per minute…
The most heartbreaking part, however, came when a worker explained the huge potential consumers have to change the way meat processing plants do business. In the past couple of years, strides have been made to ensure that chickens are fed organically, raised cage-free, and that antibiotic use is limited. But in all this, the rights of workers have been ignored.
“It’s like they care more about the chickens than they do us,” he told us.
He is right. I don’t want to minimize the importance of growing food in sustainable ways and of treating the animals we consume humanely, but I also think our priorities are somewhat out of order. How can we expect to make strides in the treatment of animals when we can’t even treat our own species with decency and respect?
It doesn’t matter who you are, you eat food. You need it to survive. We rely on the people that grow and process our food, yet we deny them basic human rights. That needs to change, and I am so proud to have worked for an organization that strives to create a better future for all human beings. “Los Campesinos Alimentan al Mundo~ Farmworkers Feed the World!”
– Lina Palancares, SAF Solidaridad Intern
