My name is Irma, and I am from Oaxaca, Mexico. I moved to the United States 25 years ago. I decided to move to the U.S. because I wanted to get ahead. My town is poor, and we wanted to keep progressing. It is very beautiful here, but it is a lot of work. Immigrating to the United States was a good decision. I have been able to help my parents and my sister. My parents in Mexico do not have a steady income. My entire family has worked in agriculture in Mexico as farmworkers, but my parents only make 150 pesos a day for their work.
In Ohio, I pick apples. Since I have been in the U.S., I have migrated around the country to follow the work. In Florida, I pick strawberries, and in California, I harvest grapes.
When I first came to Ohio, I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t have my family, I didn't know the language, and I didn't have my food or other ordinary things that we take for granted. When you leave your countries as migrants, you leave a lot behind. You feel out of place. People look at you like you don’t belong, and you can’t do anything about it. We somehow just have to find our way and make the most of a difficult situation so far away from home. Now, years later, the community makes me feel more welcome.
I am very grateful to God over anything. I have a job, and I am able to help my family. I have a good relationship with the farmers who I work for in Ohio. I am grateful to be in the U.S. The immigrants who are here, like me, are very lucky that we were able to make it to the U.S. It has been a huge help to our families because we are paid very little in Mexico. Immigrants come to the United States to be able to support our families. We have to work a lot, but that is why we come here.
En Español:
Mi nombre es Irma, y soy de Oaxaca, México. Me mudé a los Estados Unidos hace 25 años. Decidí venir a los EE.UU. para salir adelante. Mi pueblo es pobre y queríamos seguir progresando. Es muy bonito aquí, pero es mucho trabajo. Inmigrar a los Estados Unidos fue una buena decisión. He podido ayudar a mis padres y a mi hermana. Mis padres en México no tienen un sueldo fijo. Mi familia entera ha trabajado en agricultura en México como campesinos, pero mis padres sólo ganan 150 pesos al día por su trabajo.
En Ohio, pisco manzanas, pero he migrado alrededor de los estados para seguir el trabajo. En Florida, pisco fresas y en California, cosecho la uva.
Cuando recién llegué a Ohio, no conocía a nadie. No tenía a mi familia, no sabía el idioma, y no tenía mi comida u otras cosas ordinarias que damos por sentado. Cuando la gente deja sus países como migrantes, deja mucho atrás. Te sientes rara. Las personas te miran raramente, pero no puedes hacer nada. Ahora, después de años, la comunidad me hace sentir más bienvenida.
Me siento agradecida con Dios más que nada. Tengo trabajo, y puedo ayudar a mi familia. Tengo una buena relación con los agricultores para los que trabajo en Ohio. Estoy agradecida de estar en los EE.UU. Los inmigrantes que están aquí, como yo, tenemos mucha suerte de que pudimos llegar a los EE.UU. Ha sido de gran ayuda para nuestras familias porque nos pagan muy poco en México. Los inmigrantes vienen a los Estados Unidos para poder mantener a nuestras familias. Tenemos que trabajar mucho, pero para eso venimos aquí.
Essential workers, many of whom are immigrant women, provide life sustaining work through their labor. Yet, many of these community members are denied basic rights and face challenges such as unfair wages and workplace harassment. Such challenges are greater for immigrants in low paid industries, such as the food supply chain, who many times lack access to physical, mental and legal support. Workers in the food supply chain are among the 5 million undocumented essential workers in the United States who have always done essential work. Join us in not only celebrating their contributions to our community, but working together toward a world that treats all workers with dignity and respect.
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