Hola,
Yo soy Sara Rugama Artola, a Political Science student at the illustrious North Carolina Central University. Fun fact aside majoring in Political Science I also minor in Spanish. My reason for minoring in Spanish even though I am already fluent is to learn how to express myself as well as I do in English. My parents have always stressed the importance of being in touch with our roots and who we are. For me, that means speaking Spanish and continuing to expand my communication skills. By nature, I am a curious person, so I enjoy exploring and being spontaneous. Other things that I love include learning about different Hispanic cultures, learning to cook, philosophy, and music. Although my family currently lives in North Carolina, I am originally from the beautiful sunshine state of Florida. This state is well-known for its booming agricultural sector, especially its sugar and oranges. Por gracia de Dios, I am the daughter of two hardworking immigrant farmworkers. Farmworkers embody the backbone of America, although oftentimes undervalued and underserved, it is because of these individuals who sacrifice their comfort, their family time, and their health that we can keep producing the fruits and vegetables that are essential to a healthy diet and life. Growing up in a community of people with so much heart and compassion it has become instilled in me to continue that legacy of heart and compassion. With Student Action with Farmworkers, I am granted the opportunity to directly give back to the community that once encouraged me, supported me, and overall inspired me to be who I am today. Today, I am the first person in my family to earn a high school diploma, win a full-ride scholarship, and pursue higher education at one of the best HBCU's. With my education, I plan to advocate for the latinx community, because if not one of our own, then who? I am excited to join SAF as an ITF intern so that I can gain valuable skills like fundraising, organizing, and advocating while creating a positive impact on our community.
Written by Sara Rugama Artola, ITF student 2024