I am a researcher interested in doing community based participatory research. How do you approach CBPR?
Thank you for your interest in doing community research. We value research, and we want our organization and the voice of the community to be part of the process from research design to
participant recruitment, to making sure the community’s needs and concerns are listened to and addressed. We also want researchers to share their results with the community and with the
organization so that we can better advocate for the issues that most affect farmworkers’ lives. Find out more on our Get Involved page.
I’m interested in doing a research project, do I need to be affiliated with an accredited research institution? If so, Why?
Yes, we ask that you have affiliation to a research institution. We ask for institutional affiliation to ensure there is a set of ethical guidelines you will follow as well as institutional and peer-review processes. This is one more mechanism we use to ensure accountability to the community and the quality of research.
I am reporter for a media outlet. Who do I contact to request an interview with staff?
Please contact General Coordinator Neza Xiuhtecutli at [email protected] or Health and Safety Coordinator Jeannie Economos at [email protected].
I would like to talk to a farmworker. What do I need to take into consideration?
Before approaching a Farmworker for an interview it is important to consider these things:
- Farmworkers are a vulnerable population who often do not speak English, make low wages, and may or may not not have regulated migratory status. For that reason, they are wary of speaking publicly. Please understand if they do not want to speak publicly about an issue for fear of retaliation.
- They may want to speak, but their work does not offer flexibility. It is not generally feasible to interview them in the middle of their workday. Access and permissions to the farms is challenging to obtain and their work is fast pace, interrupting them can have significant financial consequences.
- If they do decide to speak with you, they may not want to use their real name. Please accommodate this request.
Also, we ask that you speak with a representative of FWAF to elaborate on your topic of interest.
What languages do farmworkers speak?
Most farmworkers in Florida speak Spanish or Haitian Creole. They may also speak an indigenous language of Latin America such as Mixtec, Mam, or Tojolabal.
Can you provide a translator?
Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to provide a translator for every request that comes in. We ask that you make arrangements to provide for your own interpreting needs.
I would like to volunteer, what kinds of volunteering opportunities do you offer?
FWAF has various opportunities to volunteer throughout our offices. These can vary from food distribution events, to sorting cloth donations. We also welcome volunteers with specialized skills for
longer term volunteer programs. Please visit our Get Involved page to find out more about one time or ongoing volunteer opportunities. Fee free to contact the office closest to you to find out about specific ways to get involved near you.
Do you continue to observe COVID-19 guidelines?
Yes. Covid vaccination has been spotty among farmworker and rural communities for a variety of reasons that include lack of transportation, schedule inflexibility, hesitancy and other access issues. In order to protect our communities, we ask that you continue to wear a mask inside each of our offices.