I grew up on a relatively small ranch in Central Texas. It was mostly a family affair, and we would call on family friends or nearby ranchers when additional help was needed. We never found ourselfs in the position of hiring undocumented workers, but it was not uncommon for us to work alongside a few while helping nearby ranchers and family friends. The general tone was that it was a little risky hiring them, but we were in a location where Border Patrol rarely trotted through (I have still yet to see seen a single CBP vehicle in town), that they are hard workers, truth worthy, and in need of work.

For the September 30th Café, Justine Vanden Heuvel and Mary Jo Dudley gave a talk that focused on migrant workers. Heuvel spoke a bit on the viticulture of the region, but the conversation quickly focused on Heuvel’s area of expertise, undocumented farm workers. Unfortunately much of the talk and discussion involved topics I was well versed in. What I did find surprising however, and what made the experience an overall positive one for me, was the reactions of other students, figuring out what they didn’t know, what they found surprising. Much of the time the speaker would say something and I would just be sitting there thinking (pardon my language) “Yeah…no s*%t!” but I soon realized that my friend, and others around us, were taken aback, and that’s when it really hit me that most everyone in the room had never experienced working on a farm, or with undocumented workers, or for that matter had not previously read of the issue.

The talk was eye opening in the way that it made me realize that, though I recognize everyone in attendance came from diverse backgrounds, how little they knew of their food supply. I was also greatly interested in the outreach programs Ms. Dudley mentioned, and am very interested in getting involved if and when time allows.