Students rallied to the plight of national farmworkers during National Farmworkers Awareness sweep through UT's campus.  Undergraduate Anthropology Department hosted two film viewings and a petition for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in the first week of April. 

"Basically, the purpose of NFA week is to make people aware of issues, particularly the injustices, involving farmworkers all over the country," Angeli Gabriel, senior in anthropology, said.

NFA week is a way for students to learn not only about the rights violations occurring right here in our own country, but also how they can make a huge difference just by paying attention and getting involved in their community, Gabriel said.

The first film to be shown as part of NFA week was "Morristown."  Art history majors to political science students, professors from the anthropology to the college of law and members of the East Tennessee Jobs with Justice came out to see the movie and participate in the discussion session following the viewing with Fran Ansley, law professor and member of the East Tennessee Jobs with Justice.  Ansley lead a discussion about globalization, immigration and farmworkers. 

"During the discussion, it became pretty evident that students' responses to the film were very positive," Gabriel said. 

The documentary focused on Morristown, Tenn., a city only 50 miles from Knoxville that has acutely seen drastic economic changes with job loss.  Factories in Morristown have moved their production into Mexico, leaving many factory workers out of a job.  This resulted in creating ill sentiments towards the growing Hispanic population in Morristown.  Ansley, who actually worked with the documentary, pointed out how organizations like Jobs with Justice and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers are fighting for workers' rights in situations like Morristown.  The film showed Ansley working hand in hand with the Jobs with Justice to help immigrant workers at Koch foods in Morristown.  A moving scene in the documentary captured the moment when the workers met with the members of the Jobs with Justice after successfully voting on the union within the Koch Foods

The second film, "The Guestworker", brought in a smaller crowd.  "The film was about the H-2A Guest Worker Program here in the U.S. that allows immigrants, particularly of Hispanic descent, to temporarily visit the states to work on farms.  To illustrate this, it followed a 66-year old man who had been working in the H-2A Program for over 20 years," Gabriel explained.    This documentary captured an intimate picture of life from an immigrant's perspective. 

Students vocalized their opinions in a discussion afterwards led by DeAnn Pendry, anthropology professor, and Hoan Bui, sociology professor.  Many students voiced their opinion that the issues the film touched upon should be more publicized because it affects more people than just guest workers. 

"Despite only having two film screenings and a petition signing during NFA week, I think it was still successful in getting the word about farmworkers and immigration out there," Gabriel said.  

Pendry hopes to continue NFA week next year and understands the low attendance they received this year, but hopes for a better turnout next year. 

NFA week was inspired by a guest lecturer, Laxmi Haynes of the Student Action with Farmworkers based in North Carolina, who came earlier this semester to talk and recruit students for a paid internship with a law firm in Nashville that works with migrant farmworker issues.  If you ware interested in learning more about SAF and this internship, visit SAF homepage.