My passion for immigration advocacy was initiated in my childhood, as I have experienced the impacts of migration first-hand. Growing up in the Central Valley, migrant workers are not unfamiliar, producing 25% of the nation’s food. As the daughter of immigrant agricultural workers, my family would also often travel from Mexico to the United States and seek work under seasonal produce, while others would migrate within the country to support their families. Immigration affects the number of workers in the economy, demonstrating a direct correlation between immigration and the labor market. My interest in supporting immigrant families has led to my curiosity about how employment discrimination, legal status, and activism influence migrant families when it comes to labor.

I enjoyed building a community with like-minded individuals who were passionate about their work. I also had the opportunity to work with and learn from my amazing mentor, Iris Ramirez, who helped make this program an amazing experience. I was able to combine my interests in legal advocacy, social media, and design to create a project I was proud of. I enjoyed visualizing and finally seeing my project come together despite the few doubts that occurred throughout the early stages of my research.

I was surprised to find the lack of information regarding my topic at the beginning stages of my research. Most of the current data was not specific to the region I originally intended to investigate, which is why I had to focus on the Central Valley or California at large instead of diving into my hometown. This emphasized the importance of my desire to advocate for the Central Valley community. I was also unaware of the many injustices proposed by the law in the United States when it comes to migrant workers, which is disappointing.

I advise students to build on the concepts they are passionate about to create a transformative experience in their academic and personal growth journey. By engaging in something you care about, the time spent working on it does not seem laborious but fulfilling. No matter the size of the topic, the power it holds can make such a difference. I encourage students to identify their passions and embrace them as tools for self-discovery and change.

I hope my research will provide the necessary support and advocacy for agricultural workers and immigrant families in the Central Valley. The law is supposed to protect workers, but threats continue to be used to justify wrongdoings. The existing research demonstrates the importance of studying migration in smaller cities in the Central Valley and in understanding immigrant communities. It sheds light on the background of migrant workers and the struggles they face daily. This is why it is important to look into small agricultural cities just as much as large ones. It allows migrant workers to receive the benefits they deserve, and it gives Central Valley communities the chance to be fairly represented when making decisions. It provides support and adds to the importance of building on immigrant research in academia to prevent the recurrence of ignoring agricultural workers and immigrant families in our legal system.