Our conversation with Mónica Ramírez, founder of Justice for Migrant Women, continues. She discusses her journey and the organization's mission to eradicate sexual violence against migrant women workers.

In this two-parter, hosts Gwen and Wendy meet up with Mónica Ramírez, founder of Justice for Migrant Women, and discuss her journey and the organization's mission to eradicate sexual violence against migrant women workers. She shares her early advocacy experiences, the impact of community responses to immigration raids, and the ongoing challenges faced in the fight for gender equity and migrant rights. The discussion highlights the vulnerabilities of migrant women workers, the importance of mental health initiatives, and the need for policy changes to support survivors of trauma. Mónica emphasizes the power and resilience of migrant women in advocating for their rights and calls for community support to uplift their stories and contributions.

In this episode of Farmworker Chronicles, hosts Gwen and Wendy interview Eugenio Mollo Jr., the Clinical Assistant Professor of Law and the inaugural director of the Immigrant Justice Clinic at the University of Toledo College of Law, about the Bracero program. Eugenio has experience in immigration and farmworker law and provides insights into the program's origins, its impact on labor migration, and the ongoing challenges farmworkers face today. The conversation highlights the historical context of Mexican labor in the U.S. and connects it to the present, emphasizing the need for compassion and understanding toward immigrant communities.

Hosts Gwen and Wendy share clips from an interview with 'Lou,' a former farmworker, to shed light on Ohio's shifting landscape of agricultural labor. As Lou shares his experiences as an undocumented farmworker, Gwen interviews Wendy about the transition from undocumented agricultural workers to H-2A visa workers, the hierarchy among different agricultural workers, and the impact of increased immigration enforcement.

Meet Jose Salinas and learn about the considerations migrant children (and their families, school administrators, and communities) are confronted with in their pursuit of education. Jose was a child farmworker and followed a migratory path, or migrant stream, while growing up. This impacted his educational experiences and he now works as the director of the Ohio Migrant Education Center (OMEC), making sure that kids in similar situations have the tools and support to receive a full education. To learn more about OMEC, visit omecohio.org.

This episode showcases Juan Becerra. Born in Texas to a long line of farmworkers, Juan grew up doing farmwork as a child. There was a lack of stability in his childhood, and this work's migratory nature eventually brought him to Ohio. Here, he would eventually join the U.S. Army - which gave him more stability in life. After serving in Vietnam, Juan encourages others to stand up for what is right and stop injustices around us, including ensuring farmworkers have their basic needs taken care of.

After listening to interviews from Dr. Anisa Kline's research, Wendy and Gwen highlight some unique day-to-day nuances for H-2A workers. Topics include housing, shopping, mobility, and preparation. To read Dr. Kline's report, Latino H-2A Workers and Their Importance for Ohio's Agricultural Industries, go to: https://ochla.ohio.gov/static/LCR%27s/Latino%20H2A%20Workers_DIGITAL.pdf

Ohio farmworker Jaime finds agency by sharing his story. Since Jaime started working as an H-2A worker 23 years ago, his work experience has deteriorated significantly. Conditions have gotten so bad that despite the risk of employer retaliation, Jaime decided to take his turn to share his story.

In this premier episode of Farmworker Chronicles, Wendy and Gwen introduce themselves and provide basic information about the focus of this podcast - farmworkers! Get to know your hosts, some of the impact farmworkers have in Ohio, and the work farmworkers do daily to ensure we have food on our shelves. Oh, and don't forget to thank a farmworker!