When we think of heroes in the pandemic, let's not forget farm workers

Every evening, the people of San Francisco, and many other cities, open their windows to cheer in support of our healthcare, emergency, and other essential workers, who richly deserve those cheers. Other citizens are moving beyond cheers to action, and organizing mask sewing groups to get critical personal protection equipment to vulnerable essential workers.

Photo by Mayra Martell

But as we cheer and organize, there's a group of essential workers who are every bit as vital, every bit as vulnerable, and just as deserving of our support, but often overlooked. They are our farm workers.

Normally, as the weather begins to turn nice, many Californians escape to the mountains, or the beaches, at the first opportunity. As we barrel down the highways toward Tahoe, or Napa, or Big Sur, we pass by fields and orchards outside Dixon, or Pescadero, or Watsonville, or any one of dozens of other small farming towns, and we might not notice as we whiz past, on the other side of the chainlink highway fence, the groups of people working their way steadily up and down the neat field rows or orchards, as they harvest and pack each piece of produce. If we do notice them, we might not regard them as heroes. But whatever we think or don't think about them, their labor touches and supports and fuels our lives. They are essential. We simply cannot live without them.

In every store we shop in, and every restaurant we dine at, the bountiful selection of fruits and vegetables, was picked by those very farm workers we passed by on the highway.

In the United States, nearly three out of every four farm workers are foreign born, and nearly half are undocumented. Legal foreign workers are hired on H2A visas for 10 months of work each year. In a tacit admission of the crucial role played by our foreign farm workers, the president's most recent executive order halting certain types of immigration contains major exemptions for farm workers, medical researchers, and other essential labor.

Still, even in the best of times, farm workers live in tight conditions, with up to 20 workers sharing a space smaller than an average suburban garage. Access to water and proper sanitation is often lacking. Even in the best cases, conditions are ripe for the spread of disease. 

Whether legal or undocumented, foreign farm workers are not taking jobs from Americans. In the last recession, North Carolina tried to hire U.S. citizens for 6,500 vacant farmworker jobs. Just 163 people showed up, and only seven American workers accepted jobs. In California, nearly every crop, except corn, wheat, and a few others are picked by hand. We need these people. We can't eat without them. 

This is even more true now. Farm workers are every bit as vital as our health and emergency workers, and every bit as vulnerable. 

Dr. Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga knows first hand the challenges farm workers face during the pandemic. She is a psychology professor at the University of San Francisco, and founder of the nonprofit Ayudando Latinos A Soñar (ALAS) in Half Moon Bay, California. 

Normally, Dr. Hernandez-Arriaga and ALAS work from their headquarters in Half Moon Bay to provide farm workers in the central coast community with culturally-centered mental health services; wrap around case management; immigration and social justice advocacy; and an educational program.

On learning that employers were not providing face masks for these crucial, yet vulnerable, workers during the pandemic, ALAS launched "Un Respiro de Vida” (A Breath of Life) to provide free protective face masks. Since beginning in the first week of April, the project has sewn about 3,000 masks, and begun distributing them to farm workers in Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and Watsonville. Recently, ALAS has also began delivering lunch to a different group of local ranch and farm workers each Friday as part of their #FarmworkerFridays movement. 

Whether we normally say grace at suppertime, or not, there's never been a better time to turn our thoughts toward California's hardworking, dedicated and indispensable farm workers. The folks who keep our stomachs full, and keep our country strong.

ALAS is seeking volunteers, tax deductible donations and support for all of its very worthy programs, but the top priority right now is getting free masks to farm workers. For information on how you can help, go to the ALAS website.