Last year taught us so many things. It was a reality check to the world of the effects that many of our actions have brought. We saw how climate catastrophes, recent illnesses, and other things highlighted the essential work that our farmworker community brings to each of us.

We increased food production at CATA's Community Gardens during the pandemic and grew almost 1,000 lbs. of fresh, organic, and culturally appropriate produce for our community. The community that was neglected by our system, excluded from stimulus payments, and didn't qualify for unemployment. Many of them were essential workers, working long hours in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. 

During this past year, we felt the urgency to bridge older and newer generations, especially in our Food Justice work. We see a lot of disconnection between older generations and younger generations, and a lot of knowledge and wisdom is being lost as we lose our elders. We need to take more advantage of what we can learn from our elders while they are still with us and learn from their experiences with traditional, indigenous, and pesticide-free agriculture. With this in mind, we created a new program this year, CATA's Youth Food Justice Crew. 

This Spring, we had our first cohort of 4 high school student interns join the Youth Food Justice Crew. They began to learn about what Food Justice means, talking about the systems of oppression that exist within our labor and food systems. They had the opportunity to engage in the groundwork, working in CATA's community garden to learn about organic growing practices and community outreach. 

They were challenged to step out of their comfort zone. At the end of the internship, it was satisfying to hear them express themselves and appreciate what they've been doing in the past four months. These are young people who now have a different perspective on growing food, appreciating our farmworkers, and understanding the systems that continue to oppress us. 

We are excited to welcome a new cohort of student interns in a few weeks for the summer and there will another cohort formed in the fall. If you would like to apply to join our program this fall, please send an email to kramirez@cata-farmworkers.org

Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to receive updates about the application process. To learn more about our food justice program, click here: https://www.cata-farmworkers.org/food-justice

On June 16, 2021, WEC will honor the Protect NJ Workers Coalition's work as an outstanding COVID hero. CATA is a proud member of this Coalition.

The Protect NJ Workers Coalition is a diverse statewide coalition of workers, worker centers, community groups, advocacy organizations, and labor unions, dedicated to expanding worker protections for all New Jersey workers.

"The Protect NJ Workers Coalition has been a tremendous space for building solidarity among workers across the state of New Jersey during the pandemic and a space that values worker leadership and direction. We are proud to be part of this coalition and look forward to continuing our work together to build power for worker communities across the state." said Jessica Culley, CATA's General Coordinator. 

The Protect NJ Workers Coalition organized and brought workers’ voices to the Governor’s attention, resulting in Executive Order 192 and workplace safety and health training funds.

The Coalition developed and delivered a multi-organizational state-sponsored COVID-19 Awareness and Prevention Program that trained over 80 worker-trainers that spanned across New Jersey delivering workplace and community awareness of COVID-19 training to thousands of frontline workers.

Protect NJ Workers Coalition partner organizations continue to provide a space for workers to come together to strategize around enforcing labor standards and safe working conditions.

Do you like affordable, organic, and locally grown food? Visit us every Thursday at the CATA Community Garden in Bridgeton, NJ, at 80 Church St. from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM for our Community Market Day. Throughout the season, we will have fresh organic produce for sale at affordable prices. All proceeds from sales support the garden and CATA's Food Justice work. Check out our Facebook page each week to see what we have harvested and have available: https://www.facebook.com/HuertoComunitariodeBridgeton

CATA has Organic Community Gardens in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Maryland that provide the space for people to grow their food, practice cooperative group work, regain sustainable agricultural knowledge and build food sovereignty in their communities.

More information about our food justice program here: https://www.cata-farmworkers.org/food-justice