By: Valeria Carranza-Rueda, 2026 ITF intern at the Farmworker Advocacy Network
Coming into this experience, I was placed in the theater group, which I was a bit wary of since I had never participated in any theatrical productions before. Just my second-grade Christmas play, where I was Vixen the reindeer, but performing in front of farmworkers would be very different. I knew that theater was my only (scheduled) opportunity to do outreach, since my position is remote, so I knew this would be my chance to have face-to-face contact with farmworkers. And honestly, I was really excited to do theater, even if I had my worries. I began to feel a lot better during our rehearsals because our theater group is filled with very easygoing and motivated people who wanted our production to be top-notch for the workers. And so, eventually, the time came for our first performance, where we did not have much participation at the beginning, but were still able to interact with some workers! But I remember our second performance most because of what I saw and felt.
Our second performance was in Four Oaks, North Carolina, in a tobacco and sweet potato farm that SAF had never visited before. With that in mind, we honestly did not know what our outreach experience would really look like. Once we arrived at the campsite, we were told the workers would be out by 6:30, but when 6:30 came, they were still working. Then we were told 7:30, but they did not come back to their camp until 7:45. While waiting, we set up the food we brought to share, we set up our props, and just waited and waited. Finally, when the workers arrived, I noticed their eyes first. I have always believed that people's eyes tell a story of their own. The red, pus-filled eyes of the workers screamed discomfort and fatigue. Their eyelids hung low from the exhaustion of a long workday. It's also important to note that the previous week was one of the hottest weeks of the year in North Carolina, and the farmworkers still had to get up and work through the heavy, humid days. But there's also another emotion behind their eyes; there's a twinkle. One would believe that after working a 12-plus-hour day, one would be completely displeased with the day and just want to go to sleep and not interact further. But the workers were not this way. They were excited to see us. Throughout our time with them, they exude happiness and optimism about their lives, and, even though the workdays are hard, they are grateful for what they have. And this is very important to note in someone's story. Even though someone may look a certain way, it's important to look beyond the surface. Beyond the surface, these workers feel blessed to have the jobs they have, to be in this country, and to be able to provide for their families back home. But they also know that they deserve better. That was the red puss; the discomfort, the knowing they could be doing more and receiving more. And that's what we can see as interns. We first see the surface-level mistreatment workers endure and how much more they deserve. But throughout outreach, we can see beyond what the eye can see.