Honoring Honesto Silva Ibarra
In 2017, H-2A farmworkers being forced to work under smokey wildfire conditions on Sarbanand Farms in Sumas, WA led to widespread illness and the death of one worker, Honesto Silva Ibarra, who was also denied rest and medical treatment. When workers went on strike to protest the unsafe and exploitative conditions, they were fired and forced to move out of their housing. Community to Community were called, and they got involved demanding accountability and just working conditions. In Honesto Silva Ibarra’s honor, weekly vigils were held in Bellingham, and later Olympia until the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is more information on the injustice at Sarbanand farms and the action that workers, C2C, and Columbia Legal Services took in response.
Sarbanand Farms fact sheet:
Farmworker testimonies, strike, and court case:
Columbia Legal Services: Rosas v. Sarbanand:
Bellingham Herald Article:
L&I investigation says Sumas farm not at fault in farmworker’s death