HARVESTING JUSTICE CONFERENCE
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  • Conference Agenda
  • Workshop Descriptions
  • About the Host Organizations
  • Conference Speakers and Workshop Leaders
  • Registration Cost & Form

    Rural & Migrant Ministry
    &
    The Rochester Labor-Religion Coalition
    are honored to host the
    HARVESTING JUSTICE CONFERENCE
    MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2004
    First Unitarian Church
    220 South Winton Road, Rochester, NY
    10:30 am – 4:00 pm

    Harvesting Justice is a conference for members of the faith community, lay and ordained, who seek a deeper understanding of the issues confronting low-income workers. Farmworkers and workers in the industrial laundry business will be the special focus and give testimony of their experiences. Authorities in the religion and labor communities will provide insight and practical ministry building tools.

    For information: (585) 637-8360

Conference Agenda

10:30 am Registration Begins
11:00 am Welcome and Introductions
11:15 am Opening Plenary Session
Faith in Labor: Deepening our experience and understanding of low wage workers
- Denise Young, Rochester Labor-Religion Coalition
What is the current state of affairs for low wage laborers in the US? Where are we headed? Testimony and experience of a local farmworker and industrial laundry worker. What is the reaction of the faith community?

12:00 pm Lunch prepared by local farmworkers from their cultural traditions (Vegetarian friendly)
12:45 pm Workshops I: Understanding (see details)
1:45 pm Break
2:00 pm Workshops II: Action (see details)
3:00 pm Break
3:15 pm Concluding Plenary Session
Where from here? The power of the faith community and ways forward.

Workshop Descriptions

Group I: Understanding

  • Work and Faith: Success, Salvation and the Quest for Human Fulfillment: A discussion of the meaning of labor and religious devotion in contemporary life.
    -The Reverend Dr. James H. Evans, Jr., St. Luke’s Tabernacle Community Church

  • Labor Rights and Organized Labor: Why They Matter.
    -Joan Collins-Lambert, Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations

  • Exploring the Common Ground of Labor and Religion on the Issues of Economic Justice and Worker Rights: Areas of Divergence and Convergence
    -Marvin L. Mich, Catholic Family Center and James Bertolone, Rochester Area Labor Federation

  • Labor Relations in the New Testament World of the Gospels: Contributions Towards a Larger Discussion of Labor Relations in the Modern World
    -Professor William R. Herzog II, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

    Group II: Action

  • The Preacher as Prophet: Mixing Politics and Religion in the Pulpit. How do you respond when people say you are being "too political" or "you can't mix politics and religion." How do you handle this volatile topic? How can you be both pastor and prophet?
    -Rev. Richard S. Gilbert, First Unitarian Universalist Church, Ithaca

  • Engaging Youth in Issues of Economic and Social Justice. A focus upon the strategies that Rural & Migrant Ministry’s Youth Arts Group has utilized to engage in advocacy and empowerment.
    -Members of Rural & Migrant Ministry’s Youth Arts Group

  • Exploring a Worker’s Rights Center for Rochester
    -Patrick A. Domaratz, Rochester Labor-Religion Coalition

  • Engaging in The Justice for Farmworkers Campaign
    -Aspacio Alcantara, Centro Independiente de Trabajadores Agrícolas and Emma Kreyche, Rural & Migrant Ministry

Conference Speakers and Workshop Leaders

  • Aspacio Alcantara is the director of Centro Independiente de Trabajadores Agricolas (CITA) The Independent Farmworkers Center and a 13-year organizer. He is native of the Dominican Republic where he was a farmworker, a Pentecostal pastor, a community educator, and community development specialist.
  • James Bertolone serves as president of the Rochester Labor Council, president of the Rochester and Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, and president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 215 with over 1,200 members.
  • Joan Collins Lambert is Director of Labor Programs in Rochester for the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She serves as co-chair of the advisory committee for the Farmworker Women's Institute, a project of Farmworker Legal Services of New York. A former newspaper reporter, she covered labor issues for City Newspaper in Rochester for four years.
  • Patrick A. Domaratz is Labor Relations Specialist in the Rochester Regional Office of New York State United Teachers. He has been a long-time adjunct faculty member for the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He serves as vice-chair of the Rochester Labor-Religion Coalition.
  • The Reverend Dr. James H. Evans, Jr. is Professor of Theology at the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and Pastor of the St. Luke's Tabernacle Community Church. Dr. Evans is the former President of Colgate Rochester Crozer and noted author.
  • Rev. Richard S. Gilbert is currently Interim Minister at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Ithaca. He was Parish Minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester from 1970-2002. He is the author of How Much Do We Deserve? An Inquiry in Distributive Justice among other books, and a board member of Interfaith Impact of New York State.
  • William R. Herzog II is the Sallie J. Knowles Crozer Professor of New Testament Interpretation at the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School where he has also served as Vice President for Academic Life and Dean of Faculty. His is author of two books including Parables as Subversive Speech: Jesus as Pedagogue of the Oppressed and Jesus, Justice and the Reign of God.
  • Emma Kreyche is the Eastern New York Coordinator for Rural and Migrant Ministry, based in Poughkeepsie, New York. She coordinates community education efforts, congregation involvement and coalition-building in support of the Justice for Farmworkers Campaign.
  • Marvin L. Mich is Director of Social Policy, Catholic Family Center of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester. He serves as co-chair of the Rochester Labor-Religion Coalition. He is author of Catholic Social Teachings and Movements.
  • Denise Young is Education Specialist for the Public Employees Federation, executive board member of the Rochester Labor Council, and a board member of the Rochester Labor-Religion Coalition.
  • The Youth Arts Group (YAG) is a culturally diverse group of high school and high school–age individuals committed to leadership development and social justice. The group is part of Rural & Migrant Ministry’s Youth Empowerment Program.

About the Host Organizations

Rochester Labor-Religion Coalition (RLRC) is a not-for-profit organization of religious, labor, community leaders and grassroots activists. The Rochester branch is a local chapter of the New York State Labor Religion-Coalition. RLRC, rooted in the dignity and worth of every human being, promotes the common good by actively pursuing social and economic justice on issues of mutual concern to the religious and labor communities, by advocating for the needs of the poor, vulnerable and oppressed. 87 N. Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY 14604 (585) 262-7167, www.rlrc.org

Rural and Migrant Ministry (RMM) acts to overcome the prejudices and poverty that degrade and debilitate all members of society by building communities that celebrate diversity, achieve true mutuality and offer dignity and opportunity to all. RMM is an inter-faith organization whose members believe that inspiration comes from particiaption in the creation of a just world. RMM works through three major initiatives: Youth Empowerment, Education, and Accompaniment. 14 State St., Brockport, NY 14420, (585) 637-8360, www.ruralmigrantministry.org

Registration Cost & Form

Cost: $20/person
(Includes lunch, refreshments, and conference materials)

Click here for a printable registration form below and return form and payment by October 29, 2004 to: Harvesting Justice 2004, c/o Rural & Migrant Ministry, 14 State St., Brockport, NY 14420.   For more information call Bill or Louise at (585) 637-8360.