User:Dollyjj/sandbox

Bold text The sun was scorching. The air felt dry and heavy. My body was already exhausted, and it was only 9am. It was one of my first days working in the strawberry fields during the summer. After experiencing that work firsthand it put a greater perspective on all the millions of farmworkers for me nationwide. Their voices and stories are often invisible which is why I believe it’s important to understand the pain, resilience, and sacrifice behind the food we eat.  

On those hot summery days filled with heatwaves, I've wondered how the individuals around me have been able to do this work for years. “According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), farm workers have a 20 times higher risk of heat-related illnesses than the general workforce (Taylor)”. Imagine being in a hoodie with your face covered in a bandanna running relentlessly during a heatwave for hours. This is the reality for millions of farm workers nationwide. Unfortunately, some don’t make it. “Heat-related Illnesses (HRI) are the most common health effects experienced by agricultural workers as a result of their prolonged exposure to high temperatures. HRI are a continuum of diseases, ranging from mild symptoms such as heavy sweating, dizziness, fatigue, vomiting, headaches, and muscle cramps to more severe conditions such as life-threatening heat strokes (Khayat)”. This unfortunately is expected to get worse as climate change increases. I remember standing in those fields at 14, soaked in sweat before noon, with my body aching heavily. I only did that for a few weeks, but many have done it for years and even decades.  

Apart from heatwaves, injuries are also common in such working conditions. I remember one day it had been raining heavily, and I was carrying two strawberry boxes. As I was on my way to leave them at the front I slipped and fell on my back. My experience made me realize just how dangerous it is to work in the field. From extreme weather and injuries to long lasting body pain. There are many people that don’t report their injuries or voice their safety concerns in general due to fear of being fired or reported. There are an estimated 1 million undocumented farm workers and around 70% of Californias farmworkers are undocumented. Due to this many stay silent because of language barriers, lack of legal protection, or fear of being deported.  This allows employers to get away with unsafe conditions because they know their workers wouldn’t report them.  

I'll never fully walk in these farm workers' shoes, but I understand they need fair wages, better working conditions, access to healthcare, and the freedom to speak up without fear in mind. They truly deserve better. From seeing them run as fast as they could since they got paid for every crate they made, work through fires, heavy rain, heatwaves, and watching countless tired faces working on their back in the hot sun for hours. It hurts seeing so many hands filled with cuts and scars. When I look at those hands, I see the hands of millions of farm workers who have been exploited and mistreated for too long.