Apuntes de campo es el blog donde los estudiantes de Estudiantes en Acción con Campesinos (SAF) comparten historias de su trabajo directo en el campo con los trabajadores, el trabajo organizativo de base y las actividades de defensoría. Y también donde los trabajadores agrícolas comparten sus propias historias y esperanzas de cambio, escribiendo en el lenguaje que les resulte más cómodo a cada uno.
I can't wait to apply my communication skills and my background to create positive change
Photo submitted by: Genesis Ramirez Hola! It’s Genesis Ramirez and now I am currently a senior at North Carolina State University pursuing a degree in communication with a concentration in public relations and a minor in Spanish. I come from a community that values unity and helping others. This has taught me the importance of amplifying voices that often go unheard, which drives my passion for public relations. In the past I have been part of SAF through their Levante program which opened many doors for me and honestly pushed me to dream bigger. Ever since the term for the Levante…
Outreach is a vital part of expanding healthcare access to farmworkers, but this requires lots of people and dedication
Reagan Borland, ITF Intern 2023 Throughout my internship this summer, I have learned so much about the barriers faced by farmworkers to access healthcare here in the U.S., such as lack of transportation, linguistic and cultural barriers, and fear of an unknown and complicated healthcare system, to name a few. This fear of engaging with a new system due to feelings of isolation and distrust was what stuck out most to me when working with farmworkers this summer. It is also this issue of trust for which I also have the most hope for the future, however. I have been…
I have been able to see firsthand all of the issues that my parents talked about
Marithza Mondragon, ITF Program Assistant 2023 The biggest issue that was revealed to me during my participation with Student Action with Farmworkers includes being exposed to issues that have remained the same for over ten years. From my family, I have always heard stories about their struggles with living and working in the fields. They would mention the lack of space in their living vicinity, the mistreatment from their employer, or the horrible working conditions they had to face. While doing outreach through the theater project I have been able to see firsthand all of the issues that my parents…
Continue Reading I have been able to see firsthand all of the issues that my parents talked about
This summer has solidified my passion for advocating on behalf of migrant workers
Thomas Garcia Jr., ITF intern 2023 The agricultural industry often portrays itself as self-made, pristine, and essential for feeding the world. However, hidden beneath this facade lies the truth: farmworkers play a huge, essential part of the industry’s success. It is the farmworkers who tirelessly harvest, process, and package the produce that eventually reaches our tables. Despite being the backbone of the industry, these essential workers are unfortunately not treated as such. During my enriching summer as the ITF intern in the Farmworker Unit at Legal Aid of North Carolina, working alongside the esteemed Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF), I encountered…
Continue Reading This summer has solidified my passion for advocating on behalf of migrant workers
I feel like there should be more support to find better housing for farm worker families.
Elena Bartolo Vazquez, ITF intern 2023 Unfortunately farm work is not valued enough in this country; in South Carolina I saw how many migrant farmworkers had bad living conditions. What I mean by bad living conditions is that many of them have bad houses or trailers that don't have AC, [they] have water leaking, [there's] mold on the walls and are overcrowded. These things are just a few things that I noticed but [are many] more. In one of my visits in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina I met a family who was living next to a tobacco field. The trailer…
Into the Fields means not only an opportunity but also a big challenge for me
Into the Fields means not only an opportunity but also a big challenge for me. I am an engineering student who comes from a rural small town called Jonacapa in Hidalgo, Mexico. Moreover, I came to the United States in November 2022 due to safety, economic, personal, and educational reasons. Therefore, I am pursuing my higher education with the goal to support and provide for my parents and siblings. Subsequently, during the last semester, I discovered SAF through a post by my community college's Spanish Club and immediately knew I wanted to apply. Despite coming from an agriculture-based town, I…
Continue Reading Into the Fields means not only an opportunity but also a big challenge for me