The indigenous peoples from Mexico who work in California’s agriculture are among the poorest communities in the state. Because they have been undercounted by government officials in the past, there is widespread unawareness of this community’s needs; service providers in some regions may even be unaware of the community’s existence. The language barriers and the unique cultural traits of the population make it critical that customized programs be implemented to accommodate the significant differences with other Mexican immigrants.
The Indigenous Farmworker Study was conceived by California Rural Legal Assistance’s Indigenous Farmworker Program and Rick Mines PhD, directed by Rick Mines, and executed by Rick Mines with other experienced farm labor researchers and a team of CRLA Indigenous Outreach Workers: Mariano Álvarez, Jesús Estrada, Antonio Flores, Irma Luna, Fausto Sánchez, and Lorenzo Oropeza. The project was funded with the goal of improving knowledge about the newest group of immigrants to enter the bottom rung of the agricultural labor force in California. The Indigenous Farmworker Study describes the size, distribution and language characteristics of this population. The study also provides information on living and working conditions, and the most pressing needs of indigenous farmworker immigrants.
Please Join Rick Mines, Director of the Indigenous Farmworker Study in a Public Discussion: Delivering Better Services to Indigenous Mexican Farmworkers. For more information call 805-486-1068
For more information on Indigenous Mexicans in California Agriculture
click here.
Download Indigenous Farmwokers Study Full Report
click here.