☀︎ 2026 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2026 ENCUENTRO
The SFA Encuentro is a decades-long grassroots organizing tradition that connects students and youth from across the country for a weekend of solidarity, growth, strategy, and creativity.
Students for Fair Food was a nod to the Fair Food University campaign, emphasizing that this year’s Encuentro was focused on giving students the skills and space to strategize how they could bring their campuses into the movement and their schools into the Fair Food Program!
☀︎ 2025 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2025 ENCUENTRO
Alumbrando el camino ☀︎ Lighting the Way
The theme of this year’s Encuentro, Lighting the Way Towards Justice, was chosen to highlight how this decades-long tradition transforms young people into leaders in the Campaign for Fair Food — all in the very birthplace of one of the most successful and inspiring worker-led movements of our generation.
This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Encuentro! Scroll down to see its roots.
☀︎ 2024 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2024 ENCUENTRO
Back by Popular Demand 📢
After a few years of rebuilding and growing in the wake of the pandemic, the Student/Farmworker Alliance Encuentro returned with a bang in 2024! At the same time remembering the past and looking to the future, the phrase “back by popular demand” meant more than just a theme or slogan, it was a call to action.
☀︎ 2021 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2021 ENCUENTRO
Still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, SFA continued hosting its annual convergence virtually to strengthen its network and raise consciousness about the historic Campaign for Fair Food through a weekend of creativity, strategizing, skill-building and reflection.
Read more in the 2021 Encuentro Program
☀︎ 2020 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2020 ENCUENTRO
Due to the pandemic, this year’s SFA Encuentro was the first virtual encuentro in SFA’s history. The theme — Piecing Together Justice — highlights the importance of intersectionality in the SFA’s work.
☀︎ 2019 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2019 ENCUENTRO
As the theme of this year’s Encuentro — La Lucha Sigue — suggests, the battle for dignity and respect in the fields is far from over. And the moment for us to come together couldn’t be more perfectly timed.
Read more in the 2019 Encuentro Program
☀︎ 2018 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2018 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2017 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2017 ENCUENTRO
Boot the Braids is a student-led campaign aiming to remove Wendy’s from campuses. It was inspired by SFA’s victorious Boot the Bell campaign against Taco Bell.
This year’s Encuentro focused on building strategy for the national Boot the Braids campaign against Wendy’s.
☀︎ 2016 SUMMIT
☀︎ 2016 SUMMIT
The Boycott Wendy’s Summit bridged SFA with the larger ally network to provide a chance to connect, deepen our work with the CIW, further develop our commitment to this struggle, and increase our consciousness of the state of our world.
Read more in the 2016 Boycott Wendy’s Summit Program
☀︎ 2015 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2015 ENCUENTRO
At this year’s encuentro, SFAers worked on:
Launching back-to-school escalation plans around the Wendy’s student boycott
Strategizing new ways to continue building the Publix campaign
Building strength and solidarity across grassroots movements for justice
Sustaining the future of SFA's organizing through skill-building workshops and other tools for leadership development
Learn more in the 2015 Encuentro Program
☀︎ 2014 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2014 ENCUENTRO
This year's Encuentro aimed to lay the groundwork for an intensive year of on-campus organizing to escalate the Boot the Braids campaign.
☀︎ 2013 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2013 ENCUENTRO
Over 70 students and young people from over 20 states converged in Immokalee, for an in-depth weekend of strategizing, relationship-building and reflection on our power as youth.
Knowledge was shared, relationships were formed and strengthened and many plans were created and set in motion for this coming school year, aimed especially at Wendy's.
☀︎ 2005 ENCUENTRO
☀︎ 2005 ENCUENTRO
SFA’s first annual Encuentro was held back in 2005! Unfortunately, though, pictures and documentation from these early Encuentros are missing.
60+ students came together in Immokalee to share stories, skills, and songs while strategizing for the next phase in the struggle for farmworker justice: taking on the rest of the fast-food industry following the CIW's agreement with YumBrands. The first SFA Steering Committee was formed shortly after.