A Day in the Life of a Migrant Worker

When reading Cajas de Cartón by Francisco Jiménez, I found out that the story follows migrant workers. Francisco Jiménez, is a migrant worker, from Mexico that emigrates to California with his family. In the beginning of the story, it recalls the strawberry picking season. 

   

On May 3, 2013, the Los Angeles Times wrote an article titled: A day in the strawberry fields seems like forever. Similar to Cajas de Cartón, the Los Angeles Times article follows Elvia Lopez, a migrant worker; immigrant from California.

Throughout both of the articles, Francisco Jiménez and Elvia Lopez struggle to keep up with the intense work. Through pain and hard work they both preserve, in hope for a "better life."

One of Elvia Lopez fellow migrant workers, Domingo Suarez; was quoted saying his largest struggle: "I had to pay the coyote who brought me here. I had to pay rent, for food. I have to take care of my family. I have to send money to my parents in Mexico." Francisco Jiménez largest struggle was knowing that Roberto wouldn't get to attend school; "He was not going to school today. He was not going tomorrow, or next week, or next week, or next month. He would not go until the cotton season was over, and that was sometimes in February."

Reading about the struggles that Francisco and Elvia went through, I have really thought about the process of some of the food we eat. For example, when we eat strawberries do we have them because a migrant worker risked his/her life for us?