In the weeks leading up to Monday’s march to the offices of Wendy’s largest shareholder, Trian Partners, at 280 Park Ave, energy and excitement has been building up throughout all five of NYC’s sprawling boroughs. The Fair Food team has been zipping between back-to-back presentations, protests, and meetings, educating consumers on inhumane abuses faced by farmworkers in the U.S. and abroad; the groundbreaking protections of the Fair Food Program that are ending to those historic abuses; and Wendy’s responsibility to be a part of the industry-leading human rights program. We’ve encountered thousands of conscious consumers, hailing from a diverse range of communities — from students, low-wage workers, and organizers to artists, people of faith, leaders, and even City Council members! — all of whom have eagerly become new allies to farmworkers in the growing movement for dignity and respect in the fields.
During our time here, we’ve built awareness among students and young people, solidifying their commitment to the ever-growing Wendy’s Boycott, with an overwhelming 40+ presentations in nearly a dozen universities and high schools, including Columbia University (whose USAS chapter is featured at the top of the post!), Fordham, The New School, New York University, several CUNY Colleges, Riverdale Country Day School, Barnard, Princeton University, and more. We’ve also spent time helping student leaders at Rutgers University in neighboring New Jersey fortify their brand-new Student/Farmworker Alliance chapter and launch their campaign to “Boot the Braids” from campus!...
