Turning Up the Heat on Paula Deen

Paula Deen, the popular TV cook and host of “Paula’s Home Cooking,” was greeted with a prayer vigil supporting Smithfield workers Wednesday night when she appeared at a booksigning at the National Museum of Natural History. A delegation of clergy and former Smithfield worker Lenora Bailey went inside to present Deen with a letter from workers telling her that “Workers have suffered terrible injuries at Smithfield,” and that “once you know the truth you will not promote a product that is made through the pain and suffering of our families.” Said Rev. William Jarvis Johnson, “We are here today to demand justice for Smithfield workers.” A recent report by Research Associates of America found that injury rates at Smithfield Packing have gone up 200% in the last three years, while the National Labor Relations Board has documented multiple cases of assault, intimidation, and verbal abuse of workers by company officials. “We are committed to justice,” said Rev. Earl Trent Jr. of the DC Florida Avenue Baptist Church, warning that as Deen continues her book tour, “we’ll be right behind her.” For more info on the Justice at Smithfield Campaign, click here. Photos by Andy Richards