Photo: Gabriel Jesse Medina
On Saturday, farmworkers in Watsonville, Calif., known as America's strawberry capital, looked up from the fields to see a line of cars honking, waving, holding posters and shouting "thank you" in several languages. The campesino (farmworker) "appreciation caravans" started last weekend. It was the brainchild of several activists, several of whom had grown up as children of farmworkers. "We see it as a very noble profession, noble job," says Ruby Vasquez, whose mother's family has grown and sold strawberries for decades. In addition to the shower of gratitude, the organizers are passing out information in native languages -- on welfare and medical resources, hygiene tips, etc. "Without the work of the farmworkers, there is no food." Paulina Moreno states. "Without that food, there is no life."
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