At the closing ceremony of CATA's 2023 Food Justice youth internship program, we celebrated our dedicated interns' hard work, resilience, and growth. They shared their experiences and learnings with their families, neighbors, and special guests. As we bid them farewell and wish them the best in their future endeavors, we are confident that the knowledge and passion they have gained will continue to impact the world positively.
The youth planned the food menu to share and collaborated with their families to produce delicious dishes like arepas, spaghetti, fried tacos, desserts, fresh waters, and much more.
The atmosphere in the garden was charged with anticipation and excitement as the interns took center stage. Confidently, the interns guided a garden tour with their guests and recounted their experiences, highlighting projects they had worked on and challenges they had overcome.
Beaming with pride, the interns were presented with graduation certificates in recognition of all they had accomplished through the program. Each intern had a special moment to share with their families and guests how the food justice program had profoundly transformed them in positive ways.
Through their journey in the program, these youth blossomed into agents of change, cultivating not only practical abilities but also a deeper understanding of the intricate complexities surrounding food systems, justice and the broader influences shaping our world. Their growth was truly inspiring to witness.
During the ceremony, the interns spoke from the heart about their experiences, animatedly sharing fascinating details of the medicinal plants and produce grown in our communal garden. Their passion for using food as both nourishment and natural healing was contagious.
To sustain the program's momentum, we encouraged the youth to continue engaging through future internships, grassroots activism with our food justice campaign, or rolling up their sleeves as volunteers tending the community garden.
As the ceremony ended, it was evident this was not just an ending but a new beginning. Our interns had not only had a positive impact on their communities but had also grown personally and professionally. As an organization, we are grateful for their dedication and a sense of hope for the future, bidding them goodbye, knowing they carry within themselves the seeds of change, ready to blossom in the years to come.
More info about our food justice program here: Food Justice | CATA Farmworkers (cata-farmworkers.org)
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