Synopsis:
Carmen Ramírez has dedicated her life to community service. She is the first woman to be elected as Vice-President of Oregon’s only farmworker labor union, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN). She grew up as a seasonal farmworker traveling with her family across the USA, picking sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables and cotton. She promised herself to study hard to get herself out of the fields, and she accomplished her dream when she graduated as a vocational nurse. After moving to California and later Oregon, she dedicated her life to serving her community. From organizing health visitations with a community clinic, advocating for farmers housing, preparing files for immigration process, she recalls her activism in PCUN. She encourages the newer generation to not be afraid to raise their voice and be part of the solution to injustices and social problems.
Producer’s Bio:
Lidia Muñoz Paniagua is an Anthropology Graduate student at the University of Oregon. Her research focuses on Mexican labor and migration in the United States. Through this course, she has been able to learn about the history and impact of women in leadership in PCUN and its positive impact on farmworkers rights in the region.
