Seeds of Hope in Bloom: Harvest Justice
“What if you had to work daily with potentially dangers, unlabeled chemicals with no protective gear?”
In Ontario, the Collaborative Network to End Exploitation (CNEE), administered by Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, is helping people better understand the realities migrant farmworkers face through storytelling, dialogue, and theatre for social change.
With the support of a $5,000 Seeds of Hope grant from the Peace and Justice Endowment Fund at The United Church of Canada Foundation in 2025, CNEE partnered with Mixed Company Theatre to create Harvest Justice: Twice the Speed of Lightning, an interactive Forum Theatre production centred on the lived experiences of migrant farmworkers in Ontario. Developed with input and collaboration from current and former migrant workers, the production invited audiences to engage directly with questions of labour justice, dignity, and systemic inequity.
“We all think about the price of food. But do we think about the human cost?”
Forum Theatre is a participatory form of theatre designed to spark conversation and collective problem-solving. Through the performances, audiences were encouraged not only to witness injustice, but to imagine and practice ways of responding to it. Audience members saw the story and were invited to step onstage and become part of the narrative.
“The most positive experience shared by both collaborators and the general public was hearing from migrant workers themselves at each show.”
Across eight performances, the project reached approximately 500 people, including secondary school students and teachers, school board representatives, migrant worker advocates, and faith communities. Audience members described the production as moving, educational, and deeply impactful.
One participant shared, “It was such a powerful way of helping people to understand the experiences of migrant workers, and to think about how they can use their own power to make change.”
A collaborative approach
The project also revealed the strength of collaboration. By bringing together organizations with different networks, skills, and experiences, the initiative was able to engage broader communities and build stronger connections across movements for justice. Organizers reflected that taking time to build relationships and move carefully through the process ultimately made the project more resilient and sustainable.
While some original plans, including a spring tour, shifted because of logistical challenges, the team adapted the project in ways that will extend its impact. A filmed and edited version of the production is now being developed as a workshop and educational tool that can continue to support schools, community groups, and advocates long after the live performances conclude.
The impact of Harvest Justice continues to grow. Organizers hope the project will help strengthen public understanding of migrant workers’ experiences while contributing to a stronger movement for labour justice and systemic change in Ontario.
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