Martin Sheen pens powerful letter to Trader Joe’s CEO

Martin Sheen pens powerful letter to Trader Joe’s CEO Dan Bane in “fervent support” of the Campaign for Fair Food!

Sheen: “Frankly it is both surprising and deeply disappointing that Trader Joe’s has yet to make a binding commitment to support the CIW’s Fair Food Program”…

Martin Sheen (shown above with Wilson Perez of the CIW at last fall’s School of the America’s gathering in Columbus, Georgia, where Mr. Sheen gave a moving speech on the power of non-violent protest in the pursuit of human rights) is an Emmy Award-winning actor and widely respected activist for human rights.

And, fortunately for us, Mr. Sheen’s commitment to human rights extends to the Fair Food movement, too! Late last month, as he has many times over the years before, Mr. Sheen lent his voice to the Campaign for Fair Food, calling on Trader Joe’s to live up to its reputation as a progressive grocer and sign an agreement with the CIW to support the Fair Food Program.

In a letter to Trader Joe’s CEO Dan Bane, Mr. Sheen wrote, in part:

“Dear Mr. Bane,

I am writing to convey my fervent support for Trader Joe’s signing an accord with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to better the lives of the men and women that harvest the tomatoes sold in your company’s stores…

… Frankly it is both surprising and deeply disappointing that Trader Joe’s has yet to make a binding commitment to support the CIW’s Fair Food Program. Given your company’s progressive reputation, I imagine the overwhelming majority of Trader Joe’s customers share my hope that your company will speedily join with the CIW to do its part in advancing the human rights of farmworkers.” read more

You can read the letter in its entirety here.

We are extremely proud and gratified to count Mr. Sheen among the ever growing number of Fair Food activists across the country. We look forward to working more closely with him in the coming months as the focus intensifies on California-based Trader Joe’s!

Click here for all the news from the previous year, A New Day in the Fields!