Hi! I’m Grace Herman, a rising junior at UNC Chapel Hill studying Public Health and Public Policy. I’m thrilled to join the SAF 2025 ITF cohort and will be working this summer with the NC Farmworkers Project alongside my intern partner, Johana.
Last week, at SAF orientation, I learned about the farmworker justice movement through popular education and had the incredible opportunity to meet fellow ITF interns who I now call my friends and hear their inspiring stories. I have also spent a lot of time reflecting on my journey here and my place within this movement.
My passion for health equity began with my brother’s experience with childhood cancer. While my family was incredibly fortunate to access care and support, we witnessed many others forced to choose between basic needs like food and parking. In response, my parents founded an organization to support families seeking treatment in the Triangle. Their community-driven work sparked my interest in grassroots action.
During a gap year before college, I spent the fall working in southern New Mexico on a conservation crew removing invasive species from a wildlife refuge. My job was to apply herbicide to invasive trees. With every stump I treated I was reminded of the health risks of chemical exposure and the extensive protective measures taken to ensure my safety. I would later learn through my college courses how farmworkers in North Carolina are not afforded the same protections despite performing far more demanding work.
I spent the second half of my gap year working with a DC organization addressing food insecurity which led me to explore food policy in college. My coursework ultimately introduced me to the Farmworker Justice Movement. It's unacceptable that those who feed our nation lack access to the resources, rights, and dignity that they deserve.
Finally, I have been shaped by the immigrant community through my bilingual education and am forever grateful for the teachers and classmates who supported me throughout my childhood.
Through my time at SAF, I hope to further my understanding of community health work and grassroots advocacy. I also hope to test my Spanish skills in different settings.
I also know I have much still to learn and am honored to be part of this work.
