Image via Pioneer Valley Workers Center

Food First had the privilege of speaking with Fabiola Ortiz Valdez, Director of Organizing at the Food Chain Workers Alliance (FCWA), a coalition of nearly 40 grassroots organizations across the U.S. and Canada. Representing farmworkers, food processors, restaurant workers, street vendors, warehouse staff, and others, the Alliance advocates for fair wages, dignified working conditions, and a food system rooted in justice.    

In the U.S., over 21.5 million people work along the food chain from farm to plate. Yet food workers face some of the lowest wages and highest rates of workplace violations of any sector. According to the USDA, about half of all crop workers are undocumented, leaving them vulnerable to wage theft, unsafe conditions, and deportation threats.

FCWA’s mission is grounded in the principle that workers should define their own futures, from the conditions they labor under to the political systems that shape their lives. As Fabiola puts it:

“We always listen to what the members want. Without that approach, nothing can be done. You have to follow the lead of directly affected folks. And that’s what we try to do.”

Their vision is bold and necessary: a world where food workers earn livable wages, can afford the food they grow and serve, and live without fear of raids or family separation.

While immigration has long been woven into FCWA’s work, recent escalations in anti-immigrant rhetoric and policy have made immigration enforcement a critical organizing focus. In response, members are coordinating rapid-response networks, mutual aid efforts, and community defense strategies anchored in collective leadership. 

FCWA also runs educational programs to help those affected better advocate for themselves, and encourage solidarity grounded in humility and action. As Fabiola explains::

“ Don’t play savior, follow the lead of what folks are doing. Sometimes it’s gonna be to give somebody a ride. It’s going to be translating for somebody… Don’t expect to be centered in solidarity work.”

Importantly, she warns against narratives that reduce immigrants to their economic contributions. Measuring people’s value by their utility undermines their humanity. 

Despite these challenges, Fabiola remains hopeful. Organizing is alive. Communities that are under threat are also powerful and they are not backing down.

Earlier this year, FCWA hosted a People’s Tribunal on the Conditions of Farmworkers in North America, centering workers’ voices on issues of health, climate justice, and freedom of movement. Their collective strategies and visions are now shaping the Alliance’s next chapter.