The Quilts and Fed Up at Seminole State College

On Wednesday, November 12th, both the Red and Blue Quilts were on display at Seminole State College. Former farmworker Linda Lee, Fed Up author Dale Slongwhite, and FWAF staff presented to a group of 66 students the history of Lake Apopka farms and the experiences of the people who worked there. Invited by Prof. Ann Riecken, they presented in her English class, but the event was also attended by other students and SSC staff.

Former Lake Apopka farmworker, Linda Lee, tells students about some of her experiences.

Dale and Jeannie Economos of FWAF educate the class about the history of Lake Apopka.

Dale spoke for about 10 minutes about writing Fed Up and how the book, which compiles the oral histories of Apopka farmworkers, came about. FWAF staff spoke for about 10 minutes about the history of the muck farms, and Linda Lee spoke for about 10 minutes about her experiences working on the farms and coping with the health effects of pesticides.  Our largest audience to date, the students loved learning about local history, asked penetrating questions, and many expressed a desire to get involved with the Farmworker Association!