Food Justice- Chapter 6

One thing that stuck out to me in this chapter is the disconnect between immigrant farmers and Americans. Ithought it was interesting hwo many different immigrants, including Somalis, Hmong, Central Americans, and many more nationalities of farmers convened to talk about barriers and different experiences they have had. The group also played music and tried to better understand other cultures. One farmer mentioned “we produce the food to make it peaceful in the world.” Why is the attitude of immigrant farmers so much more positive and democratic than the attitude of those in the fast food industry? Or in the majority of the country for that matter? The immigrant farmers not only look to learn from each other, but to help each other.

I find the attitude towards immigrants to be very negative in the eyes of the American population. We view immigrants as outcasts who have very little to contribute to society. However, the opposite is true. This article showed that these farmers have much more concern about humankind and the food industry than does the rest of the population. This was depicted in the reading: “Instead of viewing immigrants as ‘transplants,’ similar to plants that have been removed and replanted, Klindienst suggests we understand the immigrant ‘as a gardener—a person who shapes the world rather than simply being shaped by it.” We should all strive to be gardeners, as this quote defines them. There is no way we can make a difference if we sit back and let the world take control of us.