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RMM Notes
July 2009
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Walkathon a success!
We raised more than $6,000
Mark your calendars for next year's event
 Special thanks go out to St. James Church in Hyde Park for hosting our event as well as our delicious, gourmet Korean Barbeque lunch prepared and served by the Chefs for Community Service of the Culinary Institute of America.Honorable mention goes out to Ms. Audrey Home for recruiting the most sponsors (24!), to Ms. Allelu Kurten for raising the most funds by an individual, and to St. James Church, Hyde Park for recruiting the most sponsors and raising the most funds by a group or organization! Special thanks also to the Maple Ridge Bruderhof and St. James Church, Hyde park for their sponsorships. We are looking forward to the Walkathon 2010, which is scheduled for May 22! Mark your calendars! |
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Youth Arts Group Report, June 2009
On June 6, Kristina, along with her mother Maria and some YAG members participated in the Walkathon organized by Rural & Migrant Ministry in Hyde Park. Here all YAG members worked hard helping in different duties, such as preparing tables for lunch, cleaning and more. All YAG members who attended this event agree that it was a success, and a work-a-thon for YAG!
On June 10, one YAG member, Stephan, participated in a vigil at Times Square in New York City. This was another opportunity to represent and advocate for farmworkers in their struggle to obtain equal rights.
On June 22, YAG had a year-end celebration which took place at the home of one of the YAG members.
YAG Internship Interviews
On Friday, June 26, nine YAG members met in the Poughkeepsie office to be formally interviewed for summer internship positions with Rural and Migrant Ministry. Each candidate was required to come fully prepared for a professional interview, bringing a resume, cover letter, application form, working papers and a positive attitude. The interviews were conducted by interns Roberto Muller and Kristina Sarhadi, who then deliberated and chose five YAG interviewees for full-internship positions and four for half-internship positions.
The internships, which consist of 100 working hours for full positions, and 50 hours for half positions, include serving as leaders in the Pine Plains, Monticello, and Marlboro day camps, as well as working with Andres Chamorro in creating art for social change and continuing the fight for farmworker justice, and with Kristina Sarhadi in developing workshops on sexism and gender violence and coordinating this summer's Youth Leadership Academy.
After decisions were reached and positions were announced, all nine newly
hired YAG interns participated in a training session with Andres, Kristina and Roberto on Monday, June 29. The day-long event included group discussions and activities which showcased the importance of open communication, leadership and conflict/resolution strategies, while allowing each YAG member an opportunity to learn more about his or her specific role in the coming weeks.
After a successful two days, all involved are looking forward to having fun while making a difference this summer.
YAG Summer Interns:
Pine Plains Day Camp counselor: Gabriela
Monticello Day Camp counselors: Jasmin & Juan
Marlboro Day Camp counselors: Valeria, Elsa, & Eric
Art for Change with Andres: Nelson & Edward
Understanding Gender Violence with Kristina: Joanna (Volunteer- Jesenia)
YAG's end of the year trip to Boston
In celebration of a year of hard work, dedication and leadership, YAG traveled to Boston with Andres Chamorro and Kristina Sarhadi. The June 30 to July 3 trip, intended as a combination of educational and fun excursions, took the group from Weston, Mass., to Boston, Cambridge, Concord and Natick to enjoy a final four days as the 2008-2009 Youth Arts Group. Due to the generosity and hospitality of Rev. Stephen Voysey, YAG set up camp at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Weston and enjoyed a barbeque with Stephen and his wife Amanda upon arrival. The following days found YAG traveling to the heart of Boston to walk the historic Freedom Trail (while enduring the incessant rain), attend the New England Aquarium, and join Peggy Atwood for a pleasant meal on the town.
Recently, YAG met for a final group meeting to evaluate the year and its accomplishments, took an inspirational tour of Harvard University and the city of Cambridge, visited the Natick Mall, spent time together back at the church, and finally ended the trip with a fantastic journey to Walden Pond Reservation, where members swam, hiked forest trails around the pond, played soccer, and basked in the beauty of the first sunny day of the week. In the evening, the group stopped for one final meal together before heading back to New York. Overall, the trip was a wonderful way to end the year and to say our bittersweet goodbyes. We look forward to beginning a brand new journey in September.
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News from Albany (and points south)
North Carolina federal court decision strikes blow to farmworker protections
On his way out of office,
President Bush's Department of Labor (DOL) issued new regulations for the H-2A
temporary guest worker program that greatly diminished job protections and government
oversight. Obama-appointed Labor
Secretary Hilda Solis suspended those changes, reverting back to the previously
established regulations, an action which we supported. Unfortunately, the NC Growers' Association
and others sued the DOL over the suspension and won, essentially.
This ruling will harm New York
farmworkers-both US workers and H-2A workers, in terms of wages, local
recruitment, and other aspects. Workers
who otherwise would have been paid about $10 may instead earn as little as $7.25,
the federal minimum wage. The Court was sensitive
to concerns that H-2A growers would suffer if not permitted to pay the low wage
rates that the Bush regulations allowed, but was dismissive of arguments that
farmworkers would in turn get lower pay.
Justice for Farmworkers Campaign
First, good news you may
not have heard. On June 8, thanks to
the leadership of our wonderful Assembly sponsor, Cathy Nolan, the Assembly
passed the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act. "In 2009, farmworkers must have the
same collective bargaining rights, worker's compensation rights, unemployment
benefits, and other basic rights allocated to workers in other states. They
have been left behind long enough. This is no longer justifiable for 2009,"
said Assemblywoman Nolan.
Now, the other news. Right as we were on the precipice of
long-awaited change, there was a big shake-up in the Senate, which has yet to
be resolved. Whatever the resolution of the
current Senate stalemate, we remain determined to see that equal rights for
farmworkers are not put off for yet another year. We are blessed to have passionate sponsors
on both sides of the aisle from all across New York, and will count on them to see that
the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act is brought to the Senate floor for a
vote.
When that time comes, your
phone calls, faxes, and letters will make all the difference. Until then, keep this in your prayers!
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Summer camp wishlist
For camp this year, we need: Medium size beach towels Spiral notebooks Journals - some appropriate for girls and some for boys Volleyball net/balls In order for the Overnight Camp to have their annual day trip, underwriters for buses are also needed. Questions??? Please call Jane Konitz at the Ministry Office, 845-485-8627 |
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Mark your calendars
 The Sowing Seeds for Justice Dinner will take place this fall on Nov. 12 at The Riverside Church in New York City. Please contact Laura at 845-485-8627 to make your reservations, or for further information!
We are looking for items to be donated for our Silent Auction.. Items such as Broadway tickets, Yankee/Mets tickets, Television show (Jon Stewart?, Tonight Show?) tickets, Jewelry, Dinners, Gift Baskets, Overnight/Weekend Homes, Golf Outings, Vacations, Works of Art, Private Lessons etc. will be greatly appreciated! Be creative!! Contact Laura at the office to make a donation. Please consider buying ad space in our Sowing Seeds for Justice Dinner Journal. Call the office at 845-485-8627 for pricing!
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Destiny 2009
Rural Women's Conference
December 4 & 5  Holiday Inn, Binghamton, NY A Gathering for Rural Women and their allies. Keynote Speakers: To be announced Registration $150.00 Scholarships available Contact Ruth Faircloth for further info: 845-485-8627
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Meditation
 Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt
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Our Mission
Rural and Migrant Ministry works for the creation of a just rural New York State by: * Nurturing leadership
* Standing with the disenfranchised, especially farmworkers and rural workers
* Changing unjust systems and structures |
Rural Migrant Ministry
P.O Box 4757
Poughkeepsie, New York 12602
rmmjustice@gmail.com
845-485-8627
http://ruralmigrantministry.org/ |
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