Mafia and Vines
This July, I spent a week working on a vineyard in the Sicilian countryside near Palermo. Considering my frequent career changes, you might suspect I'm pivoting to agriculture. I'm not (at least, not yet).
The trip was an experience organized by Libera, an association that manages assets, primarily agricultural land, confiscated from the mafia. The products grown on this land, like wine and olive oil, are then sold in supermarkets under its brand, "Libera Terra."
Our days started early. The eleven of us, all under 30, would wake at 4:30 AM, have breakfast together, and be in the vineyard by 5:45 AM. Our task was to prune the suckers: the small branches growing at the base of the vines. These shoots don't produce grapes and only drain the plant's energy. The highlight, though, was our agricultural guide, Domenico. During breaks, he’d share stories from his life, and he always had typical music playing in the background as we worked.
By 10:30 AM, the intense heat would force us to stop. We’d return to the house where an incredible volunteer couple, both 84 years old, had lunch waiting for us. Their fitness and their dedication to our group were remarkable, and I suspect the two are related.
Afternoons were dedicated to understanding the region's history. We visited former mafia strongholds and listened to powerful, firsthand accounts from people who witnessed that era's criminal dynamics. You can still see the shadow of these dynamics today: the stunning natural landscape is often jarringly contrasted with unfinished buildings, stray dogs, and trash piled on the roadsides.
My takeaway from this experience is that criminality is fought with consistent, daily actions. People like the volunteers and workers at Libera, through their steady efforts, create an environment that changes the paradigm of what is considered the norm. More broadly, it reaffirmed my belief that the solution to deep-seated social problems lies in the daily, exemplary behavior of ordinary people. They are the ones who lead the change.