By: Emily Rios, 2026-27 Solidaridad Intern
Hola! My name is Emily Rios, and I am from Willow Springs, North Carolina. I am currently a student at North Carolina State University, where I am part of a student organization called Cultura Sin Fronteras. Cultura Sin Fronteras works with a variety of nonprofit organizations that support the Latino community while giving students opportunities to volunteer and become involved with these organizations. Cultura Sin Fronteras was fortunate enough to partner with Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF) during National Farmworker Awareness Week! Through this partnership, I had the opportunity to learn more about SAF and their mission! I was truly moved and inspired by the work they do to support and advocate for farmworkers.
Through this experience, I began learning more about the realities that many farmworkers face, including harsh working conditions, inadequate housing, lack of access to essential resources, long hours working under the sun, and low wages. I also learned about the additional challenges that immigrant farmworkers can face, including having limited places to turn to for support.
This work is especially meaningful to me because I come from a family of immigrants. Con todo orgullo, soy hija de inmigrantes de México. My father (in the picture with my grandma) was also a farmworker in California, fortunately working after the farmworker labor movement had already brought important changes. However, I know that many farmworkers, especially those in North Carolina, have not been as fortunate. Learning about these experiences has reminded me that immigrants and farmworkers are human beings who deserve to be respected and supported!
Through this program, I hope to learn more about how I can support and advocate for farmworkers. I want to take everything I learn and share it with students at NC State so that I can help spread awareness about the realities farmworkers continue to face today. I am also excited about the connections I will make throughout this experience, especially with people who share the same values and passion for advocacy that I do! SAF’s mission has already resonated deeply with me, and I hope this program will help me grow both personally and as an advocate.
One of my biggest goals is to bring what I learn through this program back to NC State. I want to help students understand that the challenges farmworkers face are not just issues of the past. They are realities that continue to affect people today. Through the knowledge, experiences, and connections I gain from this program, I hope to create meaningful opportunities to spread awareness and encourage others to support the farmworker community. What I am most afraid of is not being able to accomplish this goal. I know that creating awareness and making a meaningful impact takes time, but I hope that through this experience, I will gain the knowledge, confidence, and resources I need to turn my goal into a reality! Thank you SAF for this opportunity! I can’t wait to continue this journey with y’all!