Signs of the Times #9: Fighting for the Forgotten, the Struggle for Farmworker Justice ft. Melody Gonzalez

Melody Gonzalez, a 2005 Notre Dame graduate, was born in Santa Ana, CA and is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Melody’s father and grandfather were farmworkers in Mexico and in the United States and from a very early age Melody was exposed to the conditions that her family had gone through working in agriculture. It led her to become an advocate for farmworker justice first during her time at Notre Dame and eventually with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). Melody helped organize farmworker-led campaigns to force McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Subway, and other fast food chains to guarantee fair wages and rights for farmworkers who provide the produce for these chains. Melody currently serves as an interpreter and translator and has interpreted for farmworkers, torture survivors, elected officials and more.