Celsa

Oaxaca, Mexico

Farmer

I came to the states in 2006. My first job was working with strawberries. It was the end of the season and I did it only for 4 months. After that, I worked picking celery, and I developed a good ability to do it. I earned what I wanted.

Before joining ALBA, I wanted to send my little kids to Mexico, but I needed money to do it. Someone told me “You can work at this non-profit ALBA, and they will pay you cash”. I saw that as an opportunity.  One day, after finishing my morning shift, I went with my friend, the one who recommended me to ALBA. I remember that she planted celery. She gave me this job. Since that moment, I have been involved here. It became my job, and I felt the freedom of working and seeing the process of growing. Where I am from, we do not even know how a potato develops. Here I could see it, and I loved it. I started with them in 2015.

 

I grow different kale varieties, corn, celery, green beans and am experimenting with peppers and onions. I think that we have contributed since the very moment we arrived here. We have to make some payments and that is a contribution. It does not matter if you have or not a Social Security number.  In your paycheck they are collecting Medical and other taxes that sometimes you cannot claim. Besides this fact, I think that agriculture is a main thing in this country and this makes for a powerful nation. All this is thanks to the farmers who emigrate. We are essential to this country.

Personally, I would like to travel and to have the opportunity to go see my parents and what I left behind. This is the most important for me.  I also believed that we can be independent. We do not depend on the government.