compañera corazón
So, I just returned from the SFA steering committee meeting in Immokalee. It was a trip that came up right at the last minute and, after some pre-airport hysteria (I’m ‘fraid to fly), I found myself once again in the warm and palm-treed town which I called home last year. The first night felt awkward; it’s always a little crazy that we all see each other in person only a few times a year. Other times it’s strictly email, myspace, sometimes phone. Take away the technology and present the actual human behind it and it’s disturbingly difficult to adjust (and what does that say about our society?).
But then it was just a great time: learned a lot, got new skills, made closer personal connections and got pumped for the 2nd year of the McD’s campaign. We met with the CIW and they laid out the plans for the tour which will not be a multi-stop education tour and march like last year…this year we’re focusing on mobilization and getting folks up to Chicago for two days of action and a huge street carnaval! We’re talkin floats and glamour, people! Well, glamour in the sense of color and noise and general ruckus. See you there!
It was interesting: at some points I’d just go walk down the street by myself for a few minutes and I’d get all these memories about my former life in Immokalee and it really would seem like rememberance from two different minds. I guess that’s natural, I mean, we’re always changing. Plus a lot that happens in Moklei makes sense only in the context of the place. Kind of like Miami Beach (actually, nothing like Miami Beach; nothing there makes sense at all). What am I saying? It’s such a hard place to live, no matter who you are, and when you remember certain things it feels very out-of-body. But not all the memories were unpleasant. I remembered waking up in the room I shared with a friend, with the sun coming in that one window and onto the carpet. Made the whole room smell like childhood. Hearing all that spanish, up and down the hallway. Tortillas at every meal. Mango soda. Being sweaty with friends and watching movies. Tecate. Red wine. All the workers in the office, coming in from the fields when we had AC. Fire ants. Dancing at the ranch. Tiles, sand and wind. Yeah…
So it was a really great weekend. But inevitably I had to get back on that damn plane. Not that it matters, I’m home now, and ready to kick this campaign into gear! Check us out:
