Youth council organizes forum to address problems faced by rural youth. Event highlights include presentations from youth and discussions on issues like child labor, education access, and challenges faced by at-risk youth. Newsletter also recognizes community supporters and previews upcoming events honoring fallen farmworkers and recognizing youth leaders.

1. NC FIELD • leadership
• education
Quarterly
Newsletter • dignity
NC FIELD Wishes everyone a happy, healthy and
prosperous 2012!
YOUTHSPEAK 2011: Proud Voices
Farmworker youth council Poder Ju-
venil Campesino (Rural Youth Power) orga-
nized and led a forum on problems they
face in the community and proposed collab-
orative solutions to the public at an event
titled YouthSpeak 2011 on November 30th
at Lenoir Community College in Kinston, NC.
Continued on page 2
Remembering the Fallen (by Vashti Kelly)
November 1st and 2nd mark the conditions, which has led to maiming
Mexican holiday known as Día de los Muer- and, in the worst cases, death.
tos, or “Day of the Dead,” when families
gather to honor those Representatives
who have passed away. from religious, health,
On Nov. 1st, in the and non-profit orga-
tradition of this Mexi- nizations came to-
can holiday, members gether to call upon
of the North Carolina regulating agencies
Farmworker Advocacy to increase protec-
Network (FAN) hosted tions for workers and
a press conference and commit to preventing
social event to recog- future tragedies by in-
nize the fallen farm- creasing enforcement.
workers and farmwork-
er children, at the restaurant Dos Taquitos “Farmworker deaths generally
Centro in downtown Raleigh. The day’s ac- happen because of heat stroke or ma-
tivities were centered on raising awareness chinery,” said Emily Drakage, regional
about the continued exploitation of farm- coordinator for the Association of Farm-
workers who live and work in hazardous worker Opportunity Programs’ Children in
Continued on backpage
SAVE the DATE
Teens and Kids Who Care Recognition on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 16th, 10 am at St. Augustus AME Zion Church, 318 E. North St., Kinston, NC
MEOC Meeting Jan. 25th Kinston for more information
please contact Emily at executivedirector@ncfield.org

2. After their Teen Town Hall experience ditional inside realities of the struggles
with Project Promise Mentoring Alliance in rural youth face in and out of school.
early 2011, PJC youth were inspired to con-
tinue the theme of addressing community In addition to the symposium there was
members. an exhibition of photographs by youth as
well as video screen-
The YouthSpeak 2011 ings featuring youth
event was planned and council members. We
implemented by youth. are so proud of our
They chose the sympo- PJC youth for their
sium model of presenta- dedication and hard
tion; organized facilita- work in organizing
tors and panelists, and and implementing this
developed questions and event, and especially
answers that served to for the courage they
express positively their demonstrated as they
opinions, concerns and shared personal ex-
experiences. The sympo- periences, ideas and
sium remained positive as youth proposed thoughts with the greater community. We
potential solutions to issues related to child are very grateful to Carlos Cotto with
labor in agriculture, access to education, Lenoir Community College for formalizing
and the challenges of at-risk youth. a partnership with NC FIELD and facilitat-
ing space and resources for our youth
Community members were supportive and event and AFOP for their special atten-
encouraged youth to continue to tell their dance as well! If you would like to com-
stories as a way to foster positive change in municate with Poder Juvenil Campesino,
the community. The Q&A session was espe- please email pjc@ncfield.org!
cially productive as it proved to unearth ad-
Photography: Selections from the exhibition at YouthSpeak
Own a vision from the fields
Media Team photo sale- personally
signed by the photographer. All proceeds
go to youth projects! For more info:
www.ncfield.org
Neftali Cuello
José Godínez
Elvis Ordóñez Jonathan Méndez

3. Wake Forest University: Community Spotlight
Heat Stress Grant Focus Groups This month NC FIELD would like
NC FIELD and PJC are collaborat- to recognize the engaged and active
ing with Wake Forest University School of Kinston community members who have
Medicine on the project: “Youth Health joined us this year in turning our goals
Educator Program to Prevent Heat-Related into reality. To everyone who volun-
Illness among Child Migrant and Season- teered time, donated resources, attended
al Farmworkers.” Youth council members events, and shared wisdom, we greatly
participated in two focus groups during appreciate and value your contributions
the month of November. and support; without you we could not
do all that we have done in 2011!
4-H Leadership retreat:
Four youth council members par- Youth Meet-up in Mebane,
ticipated in an overnight 4-H Leadership share future visions of healthy food
Retreat on December 9th and 10th. They
The North Carolina Youth Food
attended workshops including themes of
Network hosted four PJC members at The
Ethics, Roberts Rules, and Leadership.
Stone House in Mebane. Participants met
Youth felt very welcomed and enjoyed
with other youth council members from 5
the retreat so much that they are al-
different groups across the state to cre-
ready asking when the next event is!
ate the NC Food Youth Network, a collec-
A special thanks to Tara Taylor,
tive of food-focused organizations whose
Extension Agent & 4-H Youth Develop-
members are between the ages of 14-
ment Coordinator with the North Caroli-
24. Together, they explored local action,
na State University College of Agriculture
collective policy, and collective campaign
& Life Sciences at the NC Cooperative
possibilities. The youth groups are of di-
Extension.
verse geographic, cultural, racial groups,
with each offering a range of expertise
in different food sectors and the atti-
tudes they take towards good food work.
The groups learned about each others
community approaches, skills, and needs.
Youth explored the interest and capacity
for work from the participating groups in
four areas: Act- Local Food projects; Edu-
cate- Statewide Public Campaign; Inform-
Statewide Youth Council; Lead- Career Re-
source Ladder.
COMING SOON:
A garden project with RAFI intern Sarah Gibson and youth council members. Sarah is a
RAFI intern with the AmeriCorps VISTA program and the Come to the Table Project. We
are looking forward to partnering with RAFI to initiate a youth garden to sell vegetables
and flowers at the local farmers market!

4. the Fields Campaign. “There are also a lot of opened the ceremony by recounting his first
serious injuries. People lose arms and legs.” field investigation, which was also the first
The group noted that about three fatality he investigated. A worker was try-
quarters of North Carolina’s seasonal and ing to clear tobacco clogging a mechanical
migrant farmworkers are of Mexican descent. harvester on a Columbus County farm when
The “Day of the Dead” holi- he was pulled into the machinery.
day is widely celebrated in The former investigator turned
Mexico and was chosen for farmworker advocate, full of emo-
the symbolic importance tion, told the audience he would
of calling for “No Mas never let go of that experience
Muertes” (No More Deaths) because it was a senseless death,
as expressed by a sign next which could have been prevented,
to the altar. The evening and the need for greater protec-
began with a buffet style tions remains.
dinner of traditional Mexi- The evening continued with
can food and dancing. After PJC youth council members Ingrid
dinner, the upstairs area of and Jose reading the obituaries
the restaurant was opened up to the public of two fallen farmworkers. then culminated
where FAN, NC FIELD, and Dos Taquitos Cen- with a personal account from a third youth
tro had constructed a traditional altar that council member, Mildre, who shared that she
pays tribute to the deceased with candles, began working in the fields at age 12. She
decorative skulls, marigolds, photos of living recalled having been sprayed with pesticides,
and dead farmworkers, and information about and described how her family lost work when
farmworkers. she spoke up about being sexually harassed
Everyone gathered around the altar to in the fields when she was 14.
celebrate, mourn, and bring dignity to those “We have dreams of going to college,
farmworkers who died while toiling in the of being somebody, and we will. All we want
fields. In general, farmworkers are not seen is to be treated fairly and respected,” Mildred
as individuals, nor is much thought given to told the audience, mostly comprised not only
them aside from the work they do. This event of farmworker advocates, but also the North
gave them a face and a name, acknowledg- Carolina Department of Labor Commissioner
ing they were more than just farmworkers. Cherie Berry. The audience was moved to
They were mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, tears as they bowed their heads in silence
sons, and daughters whose deaths should for a prayer for the farmworkers and all the
not be in vain. This was the sentiment of agencies, governmental and non-governmen-
the program that followed as a former North tal, involved in the fight.
Carolina Department of Labor investigator Vashti Kelly is Manager of the Children in the Fields Campaign,
Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
NC FIELD, Inc. 327 N. Queen Street, Suite 110 Kinston, NC 28501
email: Executivedirector@ncfield.org www.ncfield.org
Our Mission: Forge relationships between other organizations to fill service gaps in the farmworker community, and to
increase awareness of the plight of the migrant farmworker. Our primary areas of action are access to education, food
security, safe housing, and community building.
Our Vision: improve the quality of life for migrant farmworkers by increasing dignity and respect within the community.
Our Values: Dignity as a non-negotiable facet of humanity. Education empowers people to overcome social inequali-
ties. Leadership is valued not only within the organization, but also in the community we serve. A strong Community is
integral to facing individual challenges. Equality is a fundamental human right.
Chair: Peter Eversoll Co-Chair: Melissa Bailey Secretary: Rachel Wright
Treasurer: Pedro Sanchez Executive Director: Emily Drakage Legal Counsel: Scott Brown
Photos courtesy of: Jose, Elvis, Neftali, Jonathan, Tessa and Peter unless otherwise noted.