MAC Visits FWAF and Seminole State Students Experience Billie Dean Garden Day

Mississippi Association of Cooperatives 

On Thursday April 5th, as The Farmworker Association was preparing to host it's second annual Agroecology Encuentro, a group from Mississippi called the Mississippi Association of Cooperatives was part of the invitees for this event and luckily, they had the opportunity to partake on a Toxic Tour of Lake Apopka. The Mississippi Association of Cooperatives (MAC) was established in 1972 as an affiliate of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. MAC, serves farmers, families and their communities in improving their quality of life by increasing their livelihood and security. MAC provides technical assistance and advocates for the needs of the members in the areas of cooperative development, sustainable production, community food security and more! Visit their website here for more information.

The Toxic Tour started in the office with a presentation of the history of Lake Apopka's farming lands and the farmworkers who worked the lands, presented by FWAF staff. The highlight of the tour with MAC, was meeting Linda Lee who is a former Lake Apopka Farmworker and community activist. They listened as Linda shared her memories of working on the farm and how the consequences of the lack of farmworker protections are still affecting her and her family to this day.

Seminole State Students Toxic Tour 

On Saturday April 7th, Seminole State College Volunteers worked in the South Apopka Billie Dean Community Garden in the morning, there they met Peter Jordan the garden coordinator. Peter helped  facilitate this day filled with learning about community garden initiatives and how they bring positive change to a community. After the garden work morning the students participated in a Lake Apopka Toxic Tour.  By the end of the day, the Seminole state group students felt tired after working in the garden and learning about the history of Apopka!