In 1982, he became the lead organizer for the Farmworker Project of
the Office for Farm Ministry, during which time he and several other
farmworkers initiated the Farmworker Association. Under his leadership
as general coordinator, the association has grown from a local to
statewide organization with over 10,000 members. Tirso is a cofounder and board member of the Farmworker Health and
Safety Institute and serves on the boards of Southern Partners Fund,
Domestic Fair Trade Association, National Immigrant Farming Initiative,
and the Rural Coalition. He also advocates for farmworkers' and
immigrants' rights in national and international meetings. The Farmworker Association of Florida currently has five offices
throughout central and south Florida. The mission of FWAF is to build
power among farmworker and rural, low-income communities to respond to
and gain control over the social, political, economic, workplace,
health, and environmental justice issues that impact their lives. FWAF's core strategy is to help farmworkers realize their power to be
effective agents of social change and personal change by: validating
and strengthening the experience and understanding of farmworkers;
building farmworkers' capacity to participate in decisionmaking
processes that affect their lives; and raising consciousness about and
advocating for farmworkers' and immigrants' rights. Mr. Speaker, I thank Tirso for his contributions.
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Immigrant immigrants