what must happen for change to occur?

In my line of work, you never know what will happen. There's the hope everyday that our hard work will have an impact in the lives of others but sometimes our work seems like a constant crash into a wall. I just wonder what will take for people to rise up and spak. My work is directed to support small farmers in the globe and to influence trade policies that will benefit them... that will improve their livelihoods. However, I find myself in positions where I can't get these small farmers to speak for themselves. There's so much apathy on the system here in the U.S. Small farmers especially minority farmers whine about the complezes of the system but don't take this whinning where they should take it and that's such a big frustration. I talk to them, listen to their concers, their challenges. I talk to them about the resources that we can provide for them: media training, lobbying training, even paid expenses for them to travel to the capitol and complain... even with this, these farmers opt for stay silent.

I may be a positivist by believing that there can be change and that people do have the power to achieve change... this is my life, and I see it everyday even if it is only to make some people mad. But when you get other people to react to what you are saying or doing then it is clear that your voice has been empowered. Now I rely on candles and miracles so my farmer' friends get encouraged to act, to react, to whine. But what can be the thing that can trigger a reaction from them? what needs to happen so they take power? the forclosure of their homes? the sudden death of one of their family members while working on a 107 farenheit environment in the farm? cuts in conservation programs that deprive them from working their lands due to lack of funds to maintain this operation? the starving of their children at school due to governmental cuts on nutrition programs?

where are we going now? how can we get them to believe in the dream?