from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers
In the cool, early hours of a beautiful March morning in Immokalee, FL, farmworkers gathered at the CIW community center ahead of the launch of the Now Is the Time Tour with a To-Do list almost as long as the 2,800-mile tour itself.
After many weeks of preparation, a veritable mountain of signs and banners for the protests, hand-painted props for the tour theater piece to be performed at community meetings along the way, and food, drink, and medical supplies for the long days on the road had accumulated at the CIW office. Before the tour crew could head north, all those materials had to make their way onto the bus and into the many vehicles of the trailing caravan, and the front door of the CIW headquarters was swinging throughout the morning as members carried box after box to the tour vehicles parked outside…
But before we could hit the road, it was time for one final item on the tour launch To-Do list — a blessing from Immokalee’s own Pastor Miguel Estrada of the Presbyterian Church. This morning marked not only the launch of the tour, but of the Lenten Season as well, and to celebrate, CIW members were treated to a special reflection on the meaning of Ash Wednesday and a blessing for their safety and success on the tour…
Click here to read the full story and see photos and updates from the tour.