Centro Campesino is a migrant farmworker and rural Latino/a membership organization begun in 1998 and incorporated in 2000 in order to improve the lives of migrant agricultural workers and rural Latino/a residents in south-central Minnesota. Centro Campesino was founded with the philosophy that farm workers, rural Latino/as and allies must work together to positively change institutional structures that create and maintain oppression. We utilize direct service, popular education, advocacy and organizing to achieve our aims. Centro Campesino works for concrete, positive, institutional changes in the lives of the estimated 20,000 - 30,000 migrant agricultural workers who travel each year to work in Minnesota agriculture. In 2002, our work has also expanded to directly involve year-round rural Minnesota Latino/a residents. Centro also works to educate non-farm worker, non-Latino/a communities about the realities of Latino/a history and life in rural Minnesota, about racism and poverty and about the need for community organizing. We seek guidance and leadership from farmworkers and rural Latinos and seek involvement and collaboration from non-Latinos.
The farmworker community involvement that eventually grew into Centro Campesino began in 1998 with a survey of more than 180 migrant families in southern Minnesota. After discussing the pressing concerns of the community in farmworker housing camp meetings, committees of farmworkers successfully developed parent-run cooperative daycare for more than 40 children in two migrant camps in 1999, a program that Centro Campesino has now successfully organized for four seasons. Migrant workers also organized for and won improved salaries and housing conditions. During 2000-2001, Centro Campesino conducted an extended organizing campaign around wages, housing conditions and workplace safety for the more than 350 migrant farm workers employed by Chiquita Processed Foods in Owatonna. The hard-won changes in the migrant camp housing included: the installation of hot water in all individual units; the construction of a storm shelter and installation of a tornado alarm system; the complete remodeling of a Chiquita-owned housing unit to be used for Centro Campesino childcare, including the installation of a bathroom and air conditioning; and the implementation of a warning system before pesticide spraying occurs near housing camps.
Organizational accomplishments
- Centro Campesino has successfully developed a relationship with the Owatonna and Waseca School Districts to improve relationships with Latino/communities. The Owatonna campaign culminated in a visit by more than 40 Latino youth and parents to a meeting with the Superintendent. The school district now ensures that paperwork is sent in Spanish and has hired two additional translators.
- Centro Campesino continued to offer direct translation, referral and advocacy services for migrant agricultural workers and rural Latino/as. On average over 1000 people receive some kind of direct service every year.
- In 2002, Centro Campesino successfully implemented its seasonal daycare near Owatonna, serving more than 30 children. Centro Campesino addressed the additional need for childcare by working with Latina/os in Steele, Rice and Waseca Counties interested in securing their home-based childcare license.
- Centro Campesino has organized several childcare-related trainings; developed a licensing orientation packet in Spanish for each county; met 1-on-1 with more than 40 people potentially interested in childcare; and is currently developing a model business plan in Spanish for home-based childcare.
- Centro Campesino has been actively involved in efforts towards a fair and just Immigration reform that would benefit undocumented workers. These activities included: taking two trips to the Mexican Consulate in Chicago with 90 members; and negotiating with the Mexican Consulate over nine months for a first ever trip to rural Minnesota to provide matriculas consulares for 2,000 Mexican residents in 2003.
- Centro Campesino has coordinated with the Internal Revenue Service to provide Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITIN) for approximately 560 workers in Austin, Faribault and Montgomery.
- October, 2002 Recipient of Minnesota Council of Non-Profits Advocacy Award.
- May, 2003 Recipient of Headwaters Fund Allies for Justice Award
- Centro has successfully provided free tax preparation services for the community and our members.
- In 2004 we successfully coordinated the second visit if the Mexican Consulate to Owatonna. We were able to provide services for approximately 2,000 members.
- We entered into negotiations with the Department of Employment in order to have unemployment telephone service in Spanish.
- We efficiently organized 17 families that were arbitrarily evicted from their homes by the city of Montgomery. After an intense organizing and direct action campaign the city of Montgomery had to pay 17,000 dollars to each family, make a public apology, provide cultural awareness to its officials, and build 32 affordable housing units.
- We engaged into a strong cooperation with allied Representatives in order to pass the New Migrant Workers Protection Act. (Chapter 127) which doubles the penalties for companies that violate migrant workers' contracts.
- In April 2005, we successfully organized a bus trip to Washington with over 30 members and allies. Our mission was to join a national lobbying day and urge our congressmen to promote a fair and just immigration reform.
- In 2005 our youth organizers and leaders organized a public demonstration against governor Pawlenty as a result of his refusal to sign the Minnesota Dream Act. Our youth leaders successfully organized over 100 students and supporters to join a multy-loctaion demonstration in five different towns (Rochester, Faribault, Owatonna, Northfield, St. Paul).
- In 2005 Centro Campesino created its new Youth Organizing program in order to promote to development of young community organizers in Owatonna and Waseca.
- Centro Campesino Health promoters implemented their Tobacco Prevention Program, expanding the scope of Centro's work in the health area.
- We successfully organized two 70 mile long walks for immigrant rights from Owatonna to St. Paul in order to create awareness and support.
