Through a participatory video development project, SAF Levante Leadership Institute youth created Voices From The Fields, an informational video series about occupational and mental health for farmworkers in a TV-show format. The videos can be used by health outreach organizations, and SAF’s summer theater group adapted the videos to perform as a play for farmworker camps in North Carolina.
Video 1 | Physical Health: Heat Stress, protection from the sun
Video 2 | Physical Health: Pesticides, water consumption/ hydration, stretching and work injuries
Video 3 | Mental Health: Feelings, communications, family separation, technology
Video 4 | Mental Health: Strategies, coping mechanisms, learning English
While creating the project, Levante students learned about the labor conditions and mental health issues affecting farmworkers, reflected on their own experiences with farm work, and gained public speaking skills. The process was guided and filmed by filmmaker Rodrigo Dorfman with help from SAF staff Bianca Olivares, Ramon Zepeda, Andreina Malki and Solidaridad intern Alyson Diaz.
"I used to be somewhat quiet but because of SAF and my peers, I got to have the confidence to talk in front of large groups of people."
– Juan Ibarra, Levante youth member
"I especially enjoyed doing a video called Voices From the Field, which informs farmworkers to know facts about working in the fields and giving them tips on how to work efficiently and safely. The video production may have taken hours to do but it was fun ... and changed the way I can feel confident in doing things in front of people."
– Jesús Cabrera, Levante youth member
