“Every moment is an organizing opportunity; every person is a potential activist; every minute a chance to change the world,” Viviana González, the keynote speaker for Farmworker Awareness Week, said, quoting Dolores Huerta, civil rights activist.
In honor of Farmworker Awareness Week, the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) hosted many events to support and acknowledge those who know farmworkers, are family of farmworkers or are farmworkers themselves.
On Thursday, March 28, CAMP presented Voces del Campo (Voices from the Field), an opportunity for CAMP students to share their personal stories or writing that corresponds to the farmworker experience, alongside a keynote speech from Viviana González.
González is a University of Idaho alumna who came to campus as the daughter of farmworkers. She graduated with majors in Political Science, International Studies and Latin American studies, participating in the CAMP program. She now works as an attorney who specializes in immigration law and advocates tirelessly for her clients.
In her keynote speech, González spoke about her grandfather and her parents, who were all farmworkers, and how their dedication and motivation allowed her to succeed and live the life she now has.
“Despite facing obstacles–not speaking the language, encountering systemic racism and injustice – (my family) persevered,” González said. “Farmworker Awareness Week allows us to acknowledge those like them.”
González’s grandfather migrated to America from Mexico, looking for a way to provide for his wife and children back home. After starting out in California, he found his place working for a dairy and eventually made the move to Jerome, Idaho, where González grew up.
González recounted how unsure she was about the move to the University of Idaho and if her parents would even let her go somewhere so far away. But the campus enticed them all, her parents making up their mind about the decision before González herself. Through programs like CAMP, González was able to find her place at UI and grow into a successful career.
CAMP provides financial and academic support services to students who come from migrant or farmworker backgrounds. This includes personalized tutoring, transition and exploration seminars, cultural and social activities, and registration workshops.
González recounted her experiences with CAMP, how it helped her feel at home at UI and the multitude of awards she won within the program.
“They offered a sense of validation and belonging,” González said.
She also mentioned how UI provided her with the opportunity to study abroad in Latin American countries. These experiences now allow her to connect personally with her clients who are native to these countries, as she witnessed their ways of living first-hand.
“As I look to the future, it is my dream to honor my parents’ tireless hard work,” González said. “Their sacrifices laid the foundation of where I stand today.”
Rebekah Weaver can be reached at [email protected].