What is Cosecha?
What is Cosecha?
Cosecha is a nonviolent movement fighting for permanent protection, dignity, and respect for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. Our name, "harvest" in Spanish, honors the long tradition of farmworker organizing and the present-day pain of the thousands of undocumented workers whose labor continues to feed the country. Committed to winning real victories for our community, Cosecha believes in using non-cooperation to leverage the power of immigrant labor and consumption and force a meaningful shift in public opinion.
Our movement emerged from a year and a half of strategic planning by immigrant rights and Dreamer organizers who have watched politicians battle for our votes, only to stall legislation year after year. For this reason, Cosecha doesn't rely on traditional tactics or dance with political parties. Instead, we're going on the offensive and calling for a series of strikes and boycotts to show that this country cannot function without immigrants. Our campaigns are multifaceted but all focus on building the power of the immigrant community and activating the public to support our strategy and cause.
How does Cosecha work?
Since launching publicly in July 2015, Cosecha has grown into a diverse, decentralized network of organizers supporting communities in over 20 states across the country. Through local "circles", Cosecha organizers work independently to advance our strategy. No one needs permission to participate in our work--the “3-activist rule” says that once 3 people decide to join Cosecha, they can form a circle and get full support from the movement. As long as they follow our basic principles and vision, circles act autonomously and make the decisions that affect their work. That way, everyone can choose to participate in actions that they are most excited about.
Our movement needs everyone--musicians, artists, dancers, creatives, mothers, daughters, workers, street-intellectuals, poets, academics, students, etc. We encourage trying new things and taking risks because the diversity of our creativity will help us find the most effective strategies, tools, and actions for the movement.
Cosecha has no paid staff, but does have a network of over 30 volunteer organizers who work for the movement full-time (more than 40 hours a week). Volunteer organizers do not receive a salary but live in community to meet their basic needs while developing infrastructure and resources to build the movement.
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