1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: We've been on an amazing journey celebrating the history of ingredients. 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: But there's a layer we haven't really addressed, which is 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: who is picking our food, which is our people, our community, 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 1: nois Today's episode is about food justice and food sovereignty. 5 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: My name is Eva Longoria and I am Mian and 6 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 1: welcome to Hungry for History, a podcast that explores our 7 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: past and present through food. On every episode, we'll talk 8 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: about the history of some of our favorite dishous ingredients 9 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 1: and beverages. So make yourself at home, even Brachel. So 10 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 1: you know, I've produced two documentaries on farm workers, one 11 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: about child labor in our American farms because people always 12 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: go like, well, there's not child labor here, and you're like, yes, 13 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: in the United States, there's a lot of child labor 14 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: in agriculture. And also I produced another documentary called food Chains, 15 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: which really talks about that the chain of oppression as 16 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,119 Speaker 1: it relates to food. And we did a documentary specifically 17 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:22,479 Speaker 1: about the Mochley tomato pickers in Florida and how they pick, 18 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: I mean all the tomatoes that go to McDonald's win 19 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 1: these like the biggest buyers of it, you know, supermarkets 20 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 1: as well. But they would pick buckets and buckets for like, 21 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: you know, fifty cents a bucket of tomatoes, and they 22 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: would go to the store and they couldn't afford the 23 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: tomato that they had picked, and they couldn't understand it 24 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: because they were like, I just picked a bucket, carried 25 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 1: it on on my back, and I got fifty cents 26 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: and there must have been a hundred tomatoes in that bucket, 27 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: and yet the tomatoes three dollars and the supermarket. So 28 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: there's if you have a chance, go check out Food Chains, 29 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: a documentary amazing director Sanjay You. If you look at 30 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: who was purchasing the largest amounts, it's fast foods and supermarkets. 31 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: And so we should really make corporations be more responsible 32 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: in fair labor acts and fair labor standards. I know, 33 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: it's crazy. I actually when I was researching the tomato episode, 34 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: I rewatched your Food Chains documentary and it was really 35 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: blown away, just the levels. Right, we don't think about 36 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: the human cost of that. Yeah, So what was it 37 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: about this particular cause? What was it about migrant farming? 38 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: Like what drew you did that? What drew me to 39 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: care about where our food comes from is the fact 40 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: that I eat, like if you eat, if you eat, 41 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: you should care. Yeah, you know, during the pandemic, farm 42 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 1: workers were declared essential workers because it was you know, 43 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 1: we were in shut down. People were still having to 44 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: go to the grocery store. You know, we ran out 45 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: of toilet paper. But I'll tell you what, we didn't 46 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: run out of produce. Yeah, there was still fruit and 47 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 1: vegetables in your supermarket. And that was because farm workers 48 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: were showing up every day, often without ppe, without protection, 49 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 1: without COVID testing in those fields, working to keep our 50 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: food supply going. And so we didn't need a pandemic 51 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: to tell us farm workers are essential to the United 52 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: States food system. They're essential every single day. And so 53 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: I've I've had a deep interest in where our food 54 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: comes from since I was born. I mean, I grew 55 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: up on a ranch in Texas and we grew everything. 56 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: My dad didn't let us eat fast food. We had 57 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: to eat off the land. And if it was squash season, 58 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: we ate squash for three months and I was like, Ahi, 59 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: hey squash. And then it would come watermelon season and 60 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: we'd have watermelon for three months. Like we ate seasonally. 61 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: We ate what we grew. And so I knew where 62 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: food came from. I knew it came from the ground. 63 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 1: I remember I dated somebody and they didn't know a 64 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 1: carrot came from the ground, and they're like, don't care, 65 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: it's come from trees. I was like, okay, we have 66 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: to break up. Yes, yeah, how do you not know that? 67 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: And so, yeah, it was interesting that I became an 68 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 1: activist and an advocate for farm workers in the way 69 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: that I have. But but it's not surprising. I care, right, Yeah, 70 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,919 Speaker 1: you care, you care, you care deeply, And yeah, like 71 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: the whole thing about essential workers, like you said, it's like, 72 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: of course they're essential. They feed us there, they keep 73 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: us alive literally, but there's that thing, you know, that dichotomy. 74 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: There are essential workers, but they're also treated as disposable, right, 75 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 1: which is really like how do you reconcile? You know that? 76 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: And this whole idea of you know, exploitation is something 77 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: that has existed since colonization. Well and also like before colonization, 78 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: like farming was the earliest human occupation. Yeah, like if 79 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: we were farmers and gatherers like before colonization, before enslavement 80 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 1: or the idea of enslavement and monetization of agriculture was 81 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: even an ideology or an idea absolutely, I mean, in 82 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: farming was one of the earliest occupations and when people 83 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: went from from being hunting gatherers to settling, it was 84 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: farming that allowed them, you know, to settle and is 85 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: how civilizations first emerged. I mean in pre colonial Mexico, 86 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,799 Speaker 1: a deep respect was given to farmers, not only because 87 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: of the knowledge that they had just planting and harvesting, 88 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: but they knew which foods was to honor, you know, 89 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: what deity, what food had to be you know, produced 90 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 1: for a specific ritual or festivity. So that was you know, 91 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 1: farmers were a very important part of society because they 92 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: didn't just feed to you, but they were so connected 93 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: to the cycles of the earth of the land well. 94 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: And they were so connected as we already know through history. 95 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 1: If you don't live in a state where there's banned 96 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: books or history has been erased from from your history classes, 97 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: but we know indigenous people have always had a huge 98 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: connection to the earth. There was an amount of respect 99 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,720 Speaker 1: to the earth. So when when colonizers came to New 100 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: York and you know, the Dutch said how much do 101 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: you want for this land? And the Indigenous response was, 102 00:06:55,560 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: we don't own the land. Nobody owns the land. Was like, 103 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: that's true. Who says you can own the earth beneath 104 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: your feet? And so I've always found that fascinating. Even 105 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: you know, pre colonial Mexico, once a year there was 106 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: a festival called Etsleep, which meant the day of eating 107 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: cooked corn and beans, where all of the tools associated 108 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: with planting and harvesting were blessed. So that I find, 109 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 1: you know, so so beautiful. And then of course with 110 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,559 Speaker 1: the conquest, indigenous people were forced to work the lands. 111 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: They brought over ingredients like sugar, and we talked about 112 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: the sort of the grueling harvesting, growing and harvesting or 113 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: sugar when we did our sugar episode. But this history 114 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: of exploitation has continued to date. So we've we've lost that, 115 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: we've lost that connection of the earth well, I mean, 116 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: and that's the thing is, like, I mean, it didn't 117 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 1: just start with the Spanish conquest. The exploitation of land 118 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: and people really goes back to monarchies. I mean, and 119 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: hundreds of years of this subjugation right of people that 120 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: are less than you're not royal, We'll give you a 121 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: parcel of land. You have to work it, we're going 122 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: to tax you. So I don't think it began with 123 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: the Spanish conquest, but it was definitely colonization all over 124 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: the world. Definitely exploited cheap labor. It came to this 125 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: part of the world with colonization, but it didn't really 126 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: exist in this part of the world. And farmers pre 127 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:34,079 Speaker 1: colonial Mexico specifically, they weren't upper classes, but they were 128 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: treated with respect. This exploitation of workers of land, workers 129 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: of farm workers really came, you know, in the sixteenth century. 130 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: We've got more after the break, So don't go anywhere. 131 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: What is food justice technically, like, what is food justice? 132 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: How could we get justice with food within the food industry? 133 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: So that the definition of food justice is the right 134 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: of communities everywhere to produce, process, distribute, access and eat 135 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: good food regardless of race, class, gender, ethnicity, citizenship, you know, religion, community. 136 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: It basically ensures freedom from exploitation and the rights of 137 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 1: workers to fair labor practices. There's an amazing book, Fast 138 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: Food Nation by Eric sha Shushler I can ever say 139 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: his name, that really talks about how the fast food 140 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,079 Speaker 1: industry has created a cast system because it's so cheap 141 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: to get ten tacos for a dollar Taco Bell. It's 142 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: cheaper to feed your family with that than to buy 143 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: ahead of broccoli. Yeah, and so that's crazy and so 144 00:09:54,960 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: fast food Nation really you know, explored that food deserts. Right, 145 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: like even even you don't even have a grocery store 146 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:09,719 Speaker 1: near you, if you even if you wanted to buy strawberries, 147 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: you don't even it's so far out of your neighborhood. 148 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: You just, you know what, it's just so much easier 149 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: to go by McDonald's. Yeah, exactly. And this is why 150 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: there's so much obesity and heart disease and diabetes, and 151 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: we see that in our communities. Exactly, in marginalized communities, 152 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 1: there's more of that because they don't have access to 153 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: good food. They don't have access to fresh food. So 154 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: this is to give food justice for people to be 155 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: able to have access. Yeah, they should have access to 156 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: the global to the global food systems, like you know, 157 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: especially the people that work in that food system. You know, 158 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: farm workers really work under the most unimaginable conditions. And 159 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: I feel like a lot of people who villainize immigrants 160 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 1: don't under stand we have an industry dependent upon migrant 161 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: labor there. If you talk to a lot of farmers, 162 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: their farms will go fallow. If that migrant labor doesn't 163 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 1: doesn't make its way seasonally to their farms like they 164 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: they lose money. And these are not jobs that Americans want, 165 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: you know. They've done many pilot programs to test out, 166 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: like instead of being on welfare or instead of being 167 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 1: unemployed in claiming an unemployment check. They've offered these job 168 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: openings to Americans and zero applicants apply. They'd rather take 169 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 1: the check than go toil away in the sun in 170 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 1: one hundred and twenty degree heat without water and shade, 171 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: and also when you aren't literate enough to understand. Back 172 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: in time, due to the Brassetto program, which on paper 173 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: may have seemed like an incredible opportunity for Mexican migrants, 174 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 1: it was just another way to exploit the most vulnerable, 175 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: and so in between nineteen forty two and nineteen sixty four, 176 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: there was this executive order that called the Mexican Farm 177 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:10,599 Speaker 1: Labor It was called the Mexican Farm Labor Program, but 178 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: it was it established this Brasseto program, which brassetto means 179 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: arms right like almost like open arms you're welcome. You're 180 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 1: welcome to come. And it was like this series of 181 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: diplomatic agreements between Mexico and the United States that permitted 182 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: millions of Mexicans to work, Mexican men to work legally 183 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: in the United States on these short term labor contracts. 184 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: And so these agreements really addressed this national agriculture labor 185 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: shortage during World War two. And so, like I said, 186 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: these farms were going fallow, and we just got out 187 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 1: of the Great Depression, and we had all these deportations 188 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 1: during the Great Depression that unjustly, by the way, targeted 189 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: Mexican America who were men. I think thirty percent were 190 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 1: US citizens. Yeah. Um, so then this you know, this 191 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 1: like push and pull of policies because you know, we 192 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: just deported all these people, and now let's bring them back. 193 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: In nineteen forty two, we aught to bring them back 194 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,320 Speaker 1: because we don't have any labor. And it brought almost 195 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: four million workers to the US agriculture, not only agriculture, 196 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,800 Speaker 1: but the railroads, right, and so you know all of 197 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: these like um, border towns like cale Paso, they served 198 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: as these recruitment centers for the for the program. And 199 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: it's just it was. It was not a good thing. 200 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:38,119 Speaker 1: Like the protocols that were supposed to protect these workers 201 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,719 Speaker 1: from from discrimination or poor wages or deducted pay or 202 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 1: exposure to deadly chemicals. None of that happened. None of that. 203 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 1: So it ended. No, they weren't protected. Even I've seen 204 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,440 Speaker 1: I've seen videos of them coming into the country at 205 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 1: Eduads and the border of vl Paso. Then they would 206 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: they would spray them with pesticides as if they were 207 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: you know, dogs with fleas. So that was their welcome 208 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: into the US. Yeah, it was horrible, but the program 209 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 1: it lasted twenty two years, and it was literally twenty 210 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,439 Speaker 1: two years a cheap labor from Mexico. It had nothing 211 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: to do with open arms and welcoming, welcoming these workers 212 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: into a system. It was come, we need cheap labor. Yeah, 213 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: it's and most of the workers went to Texas or 214 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: came to California, to the Central Valley, California. I was 215 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: actually there last summer for the first time. I'd never 216 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 1: been to the Central Valley and I felt like I 217 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: was in Laredo. It was because of this program a 218 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: lot of people ended up staying and having families there. 219 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 1: So this pocket of California in the Central Valley feels 220 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 1: like a border city. I found that just so interesting. 221 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: And I, you know, ignorantly didn't know that much about 222 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: the program until last summer. That then I was just 223 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: really wanted to learn, you know, so much more. And 224 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: it's like twenty two years of cheap, you know, labor. 225 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: And this goes, you know, hand in hand with the 226 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: lords right in the United farm Workers that they started 227 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: in the nineteen seventies, but the Lord's word fast started 228 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: lobbying for legislation to rip keel the Braco program. The 229 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: reason I went to get my master's was because of 230 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: Dolores Huh and so I she told me to read 231 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: this book. I'd been doing activism with them since before 232 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: I was famous, and she, you know, would say things, 233 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: and I go to her speeches and rallies and I 234 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: would ask her like, but why, what do you mean, 235 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: what do you mean there's no water in the fields. 236 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: The farmers don't provide water. She said, no, a lot 237 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: of the rights that we gained in the sixties have 238 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 1: been dismantled. And I was like, but how, but why? 239 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: But I had so many questions and she probably got 240 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 1: tired of me asking and she's like, read this book. 241 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 1: And I read the book and my book the author, Oh, 242 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: it's called Occupied America by doctor Rodolfo changed my life. 243 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: When I say changed my I was like, oh my god. 244 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: And it's really about Mexican American histories, Chicano history in 245 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:22,479 Speaker 1: the United States, but talks everything from pre Columbian civilization 246 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: to NAFTA, which we can talk about present day. And 247 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 1: I wrote the author and I was like, I'd love 248 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: to have coffee. I just want to talk. And I 249 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: saw he was here in California, cal State Northridge, and 250 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 1: I was like, oh my god, that's not too far 251 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 1: and the rest is history. I went and got my 252 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: master's because of this book and because of that man, 253 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: and because of Dolores. What's so wow? Did you study 254 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: with him? I did? I studied. I studied. I took 255 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 1: a class with him. Yeah, he's the godfather of Chicano 256 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: studies in the United States. It's the oldest program in 257 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: the United States at cal State Northridge. He really invented 258 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: the discipline. Fascinating a universe city and so yeah, I mean, 259 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 1: you know what's so interesting is a lot of people 260 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:09,159 Speaker 1: in Mexico don't know the story of Caesar Chobbs and 261 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: Dolores because it's a very American, Mexican American fight. And 262 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: again because a lot of these people we were talking about, 263 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: we're American citizens. Yeah, and so you know, they were 264 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: trying to protect the rights of these farm workers and 265 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:25,879 Speaker 1: they did the Great Boycott, which was one of the 266 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: most famous boycotts. They did potatoes. I remember Dolores and 267 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 1: her memoir or in one of her books, she talks 268 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 1: about her and Caesar were gettingto huge fights because they 269 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: had very different approaches to the activism. But one of 270 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: them was we should protest potatoes, and she was like, no, 271 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: we should protest grapes. And so they were trying to 272 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: figure out, you know, what strike they were going to do, 273 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: and they ended up doing grapes and it was very successful. 274 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: They did let us, They did a lettuce boycott that 275 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:57,159 Speaker 1: was very successful. So they're unfortunately their work is never ending. Yeah, 276 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: because again, the rights you gain you have to fight 277 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 1: to protect. And you know, she's ninety how old is 278 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: Dolores ninety two? Now she's still marches, she's still speaks 279 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 1: everywhere over the world, She travels all over the country, 280 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: and she's still beating the drum for farm worker rights. 281 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: I heard you interview her at the Academy Museum. So 282 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: she's extraordinary. I mean she's like electric. You know, she 283 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: had everybody sea sep where they at the end and 284 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: it was just really you know powerful. So so this 285 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: is you know, they started this in the nineteen sixties 286 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: and then then of course they're fighting, and then comes NAFTA. 287 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: Don't go anywhere, hungry for history, We'll be right back. 288 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 1: It's interesting because NAPTA was during Clinton, the Clinton administration, 289 00:18:56,359 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: and so the implementation of NAPTA was very problematic for 290 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: Mexico and it was not good for Mexico. I mean 291 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: it was most of most farm workers came from Mexico, 292 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 1: and after the implementation of NAPTA in nineteen ninety, all 293 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: these local indigenous communities were hit really hard because cheaper 294 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: goods drove up competition and it really devastated local economies 295 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 1: and these small indigenous owned farmlands, not even just indigenous, 296 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:30,880 Speaker 1: small Mexican owned farms. So because many many the migration 297 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 1: north was the only option to make a living. You know, 298 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 1: prior to NAFTA, most of the migrants were actually coming 299 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 1: from central Mexico. Post NAFTA, there were more you know, 300 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: from Wahaka and from these other sort of more indigenous regions. 301 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: And so now the Central Valley here in California, that's 302 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 1: what two hours away from Los Angeles where we are. 303 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: It's home to round one hundred and sixty five thousand 304 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:03,360 Speaker 1: indigenous farm workers from all over Mexico, with different cultures, 305 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:07,640 Speaker 1: with different languages, different dialects. Yeah, so that region is 306 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: very multi ethnic. And I will say the thing that's 307 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: most effective and farm worker rights is grassroot efforts. And 308 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: these efforts are really a response to racism, labor injustices, 309 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: denied wages, sexual harassment, living conditions, working conditions, it's it's 310 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 1: it's all, you know, tied together. And there's a couple 311 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 1: of ways, like I do have hope. You know why, 312 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: because because if we humanize the issue, which is the 313 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: reason I do documentaries, because we could talk about this 314 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 1: all we want on this on this podcast, and we 315 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: say statistics and we say percentages, and we say facts 316 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,640 Speaker 1: and data. But until you put a face to the issue, 317 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: you can't really digest it or comprehend, you know, the 318 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: severity of how humanity is lacking with these particular this 319 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: particular group of farm workers. And I think I reason 320 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: I have hope is because there's there's the UfW, there's 321 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: farm Worker Justice, there's um CLAS, which is Sustainable Economic 322 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: Enterprises of Los Angeles. There's artists, there's artists, activists, there's 323 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:25,800 Speaker 1: there's so many people, and I think we are on 324 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 1: a day and age where people care where things come from. 325 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 1: There's a lot of people I know that don't wear 326 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: fast fashion right because they go, wait, that was made 327 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 1: in a sweatshup in India. I don't want to wear it. 328 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 1: There's people who don't want to drink soy milk or 329 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 1: almond milk because it's going to kill the bees. So 330 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: I'm not doing that. Like what you buy says something 331 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 1: about who you are, and I think that we have 332 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: to apply that to food. You know, we have to 333 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 1: understand where your food comes from and to you know, 334 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 1: really help and empower migrant and seasonal farm workers so 335 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: that we can improve their living conditions. Is a very 336 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: small task, especially if you eat absolutely absolutely. I wanted 337 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: to mention you mentioned art and when I was in 338 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: the Central Valley last summer, I learned about the work 339 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: of Narciso Martinez and his work is just extraordinary. He 340 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:32,400 Speaker 1: actually is from Wahaka, moved to California and worked as 341 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 1: a seasonal migrant worker picking apples to pay for his education. 342 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 1: And he's this incredible artist. He gets produce boxes, tapes 343 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 1: them together so you'll see like a brand, you know, 344 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,360 Speaker 1: Chiquita Banana or whatever, different brands on the produce boxes, 345 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: and he tapes them together and has different migrant workers 346 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,119 Speaker 1: depicted on there. I spoke to him once and he 347 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: said that when he moved to the States that when 348 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,360 Speaker 1: he first got an ID with his picture on it, 349 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: he felt so important because he felt like he was somebody. 350 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 1: And so by painting farm workers and these are real people. 351 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 1: These are not just you know, a sort of a 352 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,679 Speaker 1: generic you know, they don't represent just a person that 353 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: they represent real people just to show, you know that 354 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: to make them feel important, because they are important. I 355 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 1: mean some of them are just a produce box and 356 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:31,640 Speaker 1: you have the portrait on the background is gold like 357 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: a Byzantine icon. So his work and he's an activist 358 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:40,199 Speaker 1: as well. Like his work I think is so powerful. 359 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: It was life changing that that weekend in the Central 360 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: Valley last summer was just life changing for me, you know, 361 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,399 Speaker 1: just even us doing an episode about this on the 362 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: podcast Yeah, is going to be super helpful. I think. 363 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: I hope it makes people ponder the next time they 364 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: reach for that fruit of vegetable and maybe just pay attention, 365 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: pay attention or follow these organizations the Dilurce what if 366 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: the foundation is another one UfW farmworker Justice, Like you know, 367 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: the main challenge they have is funding, Yes, and it 368 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 1: takes very little funding to create a huge difference in 369 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:17,919 Speaker 1: farm workers lives. So I hope that we'll put up 370 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:20,919 Speaker 1: some resources so you guys can check everybody out and 371 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: any little bit helps write anything counts, Yeah, anything, Yeah, 372 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: if you eat, you should care absolutely, and we love 373 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:38,680 Speaker 1: to eat, to eat very care. Hungry for History is 374 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: an unbelievable entertainment production in partnership with Ihearts my Cola 375 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: podcast network. For more of your favorite shows, visit the 376 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:50,240 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.