Inclusive Farm Day would only improve tradition

I applaud Clay Lambert’s editorial (Review, April 12) that it is time for Farm Day to evolve into a more inclusive celebration. The recent shootings illuminated the difficulties faced by our Coastside farmworkers, who work long and backbreaking hours to grow and harvest our food but receive extremely low pay for their backbreaking work.

Because of the high cost of rent, many farmworkers work more than one job and live in crowded and sometimes unacceptable housing. And, as documented elsewhere in this edition, the small percentage of Chinese farmworkers continues to experience cultural barriers.

It is time to acknowledge and appreciate all the farmworkers who collectively bring us our food. A more inclusive Farm Day would in no way diminish the deserved recognition of those celebrated in the past. Rather, an expanded, more inclusive Farm Day would demonstrate how our Coastside community has grown its vision to include all members of the farmworker community who live and work among us and contribute to life on the Coastside.

As Lambert concludes, a more inclusive Farm Day would “recognize the value of EVERYONE (emphasis added) involved in putting that delicious food on the table.”

Joanne Rokosky

El Granada