- Author: Ricardo A. Vela
The death of a farmworker on May 14, 2005, east of Stockton, California, highlighted the sufferings of day laborers during the summer. María Isabel Vásquez Jiménez, originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, 17 years old and two months pregnant, worked in a vineyard in temperatures above 95 degrees. Her death and that of three other day laborers in previous years led California to adopt the law requiring shade, water and rest to prevent more deaths due to heat stroke.
Teresa Andrews, a community educator at the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at the University of California, Davis, remembers when scientific studies were being done to support the law.
"The study was specifically about how heat affects people,” Andrews said. “There was a group of experts who were visiting various agricultural sites, from Northern California to the border with Mexicali, and were looking at the different tasks that the workers did during the day. This study was done for three years in the summer season."
At the same time, scientists collected data on ambient temperature, humidity and other environmental factors.
The study revealed that even though most of the workers were under 40 years of age, by the end of the day, most of them were dehydrated. When a person is dehydrated, they are exposed to several health problems, including death.
"When the study was going to start, the death of a young farmworker, María Isabel Vásquez-Jiménez, was recorded, and this led Cal/OSHA to start the campaign of shade, water and rest," Andrews said. She adds that the center was an essential part of this campaign since its inception 17 years ago.
Since the initiative was signed into law in 2005 by then-Gov, Arnold Schwarzenegger, every year during the summer, California Division of Occupational Safety and Health and the UC Davis Western Center for Health and Safety in Agriculture have resumed the campaign and offered workshops in Spanish and English throughout the state to raise awareness among workers of their right to receive shade, water and rest if they need it.
Despite these efforts, in the last 12 years, 24-day laborers have died due to heat illness.
"Sometimes when I talk to them directly during training, they tell me they don't drink water because they're afraid they're going to go to the bathroom a lot, that the employer is going to get their attention because they're not working as fast," Andrews says.
Having water for consumption is the right of day laborers. Andrews says drinking water in small amounts is crucial to the farmworker's well-being. She uses simple concepts in her workshops to make farmworkers aware of the importance of always being hydrated.
"We don't have a little light that warns us about the lack of water, but we are thirsty, which is the signal to know that we are close to suffering from heat illness or heat stroke," says Andrews.
The community educator emphasizes the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat exhaustion is caused when the body loses excessive amounts of water and salt, while in the potentially fatal heat stroke, the body cannot control its internal temperature. Heat stroke is a medical emergency.
The warning signs for heat exhaustion are as follows:
- Fever above 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Changes in mental state or behavior include confusion, agitation, and babbling.
- Hot, dry skin or excessive sweating.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Reddened skin.
- Accelerated pulse.
- Rapid breathing
Symptoms of Insolation/Heat Stroke are:
- Confusion
- Convulsions.
- Fainting.
- Feeling thirsty.
- Intermittent muscle cramps in the extremities and abdomen.
- In insolation, abundant sweating occurs; in heat stroke, sweating ceases, and the skin is dry, hot, and red.
- Dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.
- Strong and irregular pulse.
- Rapid, noisy breathing.
- Body temperature is high.
According to data from Cal/OSHA, every year, at least three or four farmworkers die due to heat stroke.
"People get used to hearing science-based information, and it's meant to help them lead a better quality of life," Andrews says.
The work to create awareness that the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, CalOsha, and UC ANR are doing is critical because the threat of heat stroke is increasing as temperatures climb higher every summer. The study, published last month in the journal Geophysical Research, found that climate change is making summers hotter and longer while reducing the other three seasons. The average summer temperature over the past five years has been 1.7 degrees warmer than it was from 1971 to 2000.
Over 1 million farmworkers work under extreme heat each day. During peak production seasons, July and August, workers are in the fields for 12 hours or more, in temperatures that frequently exceed 100 degrees.
Other resources:
https://safety.ucanr.edu/Programs/Heat_Illness_Prevention/
https://ucanr.edu/news/?uid=691&ds=191
https://ucanr.edu/sites/ucanr/News/Heat/Heat_illness_symptoms_and_first_aid/
- Author: Ricardo A. Vela
Jesús Peña, recientemente obtuvo su título de doctorado en microbiología de la Universidad de California en Riverside, y su motivación para estudiar una carrera en ciencias la decidió desde muy joven gracias a las pláticas y enseñanzas que obtuvo de sus padres.
“Mi familia jugó un papel importante en mi decisión de dedicarme a la ciencia. Mi papá creció en México y quería ser profesor de ciencias, pero no tenía acceso a esas oportunidades”, comenta Peña. “Él y mi madre me animaron a sentir curiosidad por el mundo, el medioambiente y compartir ese conocimiento con otros en mi comunidad”, dijo el joven científico latino.
Aunque cada día aumenta más la participación de los latinos en las carreras científicas, este grupo continúa estando subrepresentado en el ámbito laboral. Un nuevo informe del Centro de Investigación Pew indica que hace faltan que haya más representación de latinos en las carreras y campos de ciencia, tecnología ingeniería y matemáticas (STEM) para atraer a más jóvenes hispanos a esas carreras.
Y para aquellos que logran la meta, los recién graduados como Peña, enfrentan un duro golpe cuando empieza su búsqueda por un empleo. De acuerdo con el reporte están claramente subrepresentados entre las filas de los científicos y aquellos en profesiones afines. Los adultos hispanos representan el 17% de la fuerza laboral de los Estados Unidos, pero solo el 8% de los trabajan en un empleo de ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería o matemáticas (STEM).
“Es importante que los latinos se unan a la fuerza laboral científica, ya que somos uno de los muchos grupos que contribuyen a la ciencia a través de los impuestos, debemos estar representados entre los grupos que realmente están haciendo el trabajo, es decir, los científicos”. dijo Peña.
Los latinos es uno de los grupos étnicos de más rápido crecimiento en la nación. En California el 39.4% de la población es hispana y a nivel nacional, los latinos suman 62.1 millones en 2020, lo que representa el 19% de todos los estadounidenses, es decir es el segundo grupo étnico más numeroso en el país, según la Oficina del Censo de los Estados Unidos.
De ahí que aumentar a los latinos en las filas de las ciencias es un enorme reto que ha sido abordado por varios científicos de la División de Agricultura y Recursos Naturales de la Universidad de California, UCANR desde diferentes perspectivas.
Jairo Díaz, director del Centro de Investigación del Desierto de UCANR, en donde se desarrollan varias investigaciones sobre cómo producir los alimentos utilizando menos agua, muchas otras investigaciones, dijo que en ese centro cuenta con programa comunitario que invita a grupos de estudiantes latinos de diferentes grados escolares a participar en actividades para poner en práctica la aplicación de la ciencia en la agricultura.
“Involucro a los jóvenes en temas de Ciencia utilizando factores locales relevantes. Obtengo subvenciones que brindan oportunidades de pasantías a estudiantes universitarios para obtener nuevos conocimientos y habilidades necesarias para tener éxito en las carreras científicas”, señala Díaz.
Mientras que Carmen Gispert, entomóloga de Extensión Cooperativas en los condados de Riverside, Imperial y San Diego pone su interés en promover las carreras científicas especialmente entre mujeres.
“He servido como mentor de estudiantes de secundaria, y los he alentado a seguir una carrera en ciencias. Los padres de muchos de estos estudiantes eran trabajadores agrícolas.
He estado particularmente interesada en motivar a las jovencitas, contándoles sobre mi experiencia personal en una carrera en ciencias dominada por hombres”, comenta Gispert.
Liliana Vega, asesora de desarrollo juvenil de CA 4-H de la Extensión Cooperativa del condado de Santa Barbara, ha puesto en marcha un programa llamado “Chispa” o “Career Spark” por su nombre en inglés en el cual mensualmente destacan a los profesionales latinos y discuten con los estudiantes sus caminos, las barreras que enfrentaron al optar ir a la universidad y las carreras en STEM.
En 2015, UCANR implementó la conferencia anual “Juntos” que forma parte de la Iniciativa Latina de UC ANR que tiene el objetivo de aumentar el número de latinos en la educación superior y en las ciencias. en la conferencia los jóvenes estudiantes latinos de todo California conviven por varios días en un Campus Universitario. Ellos experimentan de primera mano lo que significa estudiar en una universidad, además de que se ofrecen pláticas con profesionales latinos de diversas áreas para estimularlos a continuar con sus estudios universitarios e ingresar a una carrera en STEM.
Asimismo, hace unos años se implementó el programa 4-H Water Wizards, patrocinado por el Departamento Federal de Agricultura o USDA que tiene como objetivo que los estudiantes de bajos recursos latinos y afroamericanos, tengan acceso a la ciencia práctica desde temprana edad a través de actividades que desarrollan con científicos de UC ANR latinos que hablen en su idioma y se identifiquen con ellos.
Claudia Díaz-Carrasco asesora de desarrollo juvenil de 4-H es parte de la Iniciativa Latina y ha recibido numerosos reconocimientos por su compromiso de promover las carreras científicas entre latinos. Ella ve con optimismo los logros realizados hasta ahora.
"Me asocié con el superintendente de escuelas de San Bernardino a través de su división de aprendizaje ampliada. Hemos estado colaborando desde 2019 para crear un centro STEM para programas extracurriculares en la región. Este proyecto en equipo ha servido para inspirar a la próxima generación de científicos e ingenieros en el sur de California”, dijo Díaz-Carrasco.
Desde 2010, ha habido una proporción creciente de estudiantes hispanos que asisten y se gradúan de la universidad, así como un aumento en el número de estudiantes que obtiene una licenciatura en un campo STEM. Aun así, los s hispanos siguen estando subrepresentados entre los graduados universitarios en ciencias.
El reporte del Centro de Investigación Pew dice que los jóvenes hispanos serían al menos un poco más propensos a obtener títulos universitarios en STEM si tuvieran un maestro de STEM de secundaria que fuera latino.
Samuel Sandoval-Solís, profesor asociado de la Universidad de California Davis – UC Davis y especialista en Extensión Cooperativa en Recursos Hídricos, señala que la contratación de científicos latinos es un problema recurrente en instituciones educativas y si bien se ha avanzado, los pasos son lentos.
“En los diez años que llevo enseñando en UC Davis, muchas veces los alumnos mencionan que soy su primer profesor de ciencias que es hispano, por lo que no se sienten representados en el cuerpo docente. Si bien estos pueden ser pequeños esfuerzos, creo que lenta pero seguramente los jóvenes de nuestra comunidad hispana están reconociendo que es posible ser un científico, eso es genial para nuestros jóvenes”, comentó Sandoval Solís.
- Author: Ricardo A. Vela
Jesús Peña recently earned his doctoral degree in microbiology from the University of California, Riverside. His motivation to study a career in science was decided from a very young age thanks to talks and teachings from his parents.
"My family played an important role in my decision to pursue science. My dad grew up in Mexico and wanted to be a science teacher, but he didn't have access to those opportunities," says Peña. "He and my mother encouraged me to be curious about the world and the environment and share that knowledge with others in my community," said the young Latino scientist.
Although the participation of Latinos in scientific careers is increasing every day, this group continues to be underrepresented in the workplace. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center indicates that Latinos need more representation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers and fields to attract more young Hispanics to those careers.
"Latinos need to join the scientific workforce because we're among the many groups contributing to science through taxation. We must be represented among the workgroups, that is, the scientists." Peña said.
Latinos are one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the nation. In California, 39.4% of the population is Hispanic, and nationally, Latinos total 62.1 million in 2020, representing 19% of all Americans. That is, it is the second-largest ethnic group in the country, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Hence, increasing Latinos in the ranks of the sciences is a huge challenge that is being addressed by several scientists in University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC ANR, from different perspectives.
Jairo Díaz, director of the UCANR Desert Research and Extension Center, oversees a community program that invites groups of Latino grade school to college-age students to participate in activities that apply science in agriculture at Desert REC, where several experiments are underway to produce food using less water, among other studies.
Carmen Gispert, an entomologist at Extension Cooperatives in Riverside, Imperial, and San Diego counties, puts her interest in promoting scientific careers, especially among women.
"I have served as a mentor to high school students and encouraged them to pursue a career in science. The parents of many of these students were farmworkers. I have been particularly interested in motivating young women, telling them about my personal experience in a male-dominated career in science," Gispert said.
Liliana Vega, California 4-H youth development advisor for UC Cooperative Extension in Santa Barbara County, has launched a program called "Chispa" or "Career Spark," in which Hispanic professionals discuss with students their paths, barriers they faced when choosing to go to college, and careers in STEM.
Claudia Díaz-Carrasco, UC Cooperative Extension youth development advisor, is part of the 4-H Latino Initiative and has received numerous awards for her commitment to promoting scientific careers among Latinos. She is optimistic about the achievements made so far.
"I partnered with the San Bernardino Superintendent of Schools through his expanded learning division. We have been collaborating since 2019 to create a STEM center for after-school programs in the region. This team project has inspired the next generation of scientists and engineers in Southern California," Diaz-Carrasco said.
In 2015, UC ANR hosted the first annual conference "Juntos," which is part of UC ANR's Latino Initiative to increase the number of Latinos in higher education and science. At the conference, young Latino students from all over California live together for several days on a University Campus. They experience firsthand what it means to study at a university, in addition to hearing talks from Latino professionals from various disciplines to encourage them to continue their university studies and enter a career in STEM.
A few years ago, the 4-H Water Wizards program was launched, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or USDA, which aims to ensure that low-income Latino and African-American students have access to practical science from an early age through activities they develop with UC ANR Latino scientists who speak in their language.
The Pew Research Center reports young Hispanics would be at least slightly more likely to earn college degrees in STEM if they had a high school STEM teacher who was Latino.
Samuel Sandoval Solís, associate professor at the University of California, Davis and UC Cooperative Extension water resources specialist, points out that although progress has been made, hiring Latino scientists is slow in educational institutions.
"In the 10 years I've been teaching at UC Davis, students often mention that I'm their first science teacher who is Hispanic, so they don't feel represented on the faculty. While these may be small efforts, I think slowly, but surely the youth of our Hispanic community recognizes that it's possible to be a scientist; that's great for our young people," Sandoval Solis said.
- Author: Ricardo A. Vela
La madre naturaleza hizo su parte al ofrecer un clima espectacular de fin de semana como si hubiese estado ansiosa de participar en los eventos de jardines comunitarios el sábado en Riverside. Los miembros de la comunidad, entre los cuales se encontraba la regidora municipal Clarissa Cervantes, ellos pintaron la primera capa de colorido mural en una pared que bordea el jardín comestible en una comunidad del este de Riverside.
A nombre de la ciudad de Riverside, la administradora interina de proyectos de asuntos comunitarios de la ciudad de Riverside entregó una subvención del programa de embellecimiento municipal “Small Sparks Neighborhood” por $5,000 dólares para activar el desarrollo del jardín comunitario que está ubicado en la esquina de las calles Sedgwick y Pensilvania. En el jardín de 1.5 acres se cultivan alimentos saludables para los residentes de este vecindario en su mayoría latinos y afroamericanos.
Los participantes comenzaron a diseñar el mural del jardín comunitario, que promueve la salud y la vida, bajo la supervisión del artista local Ron De Cid, conocido en el sur de California por el color y la fuerza de sus murales. El mural consiste en una representación de frutas y verduras frescas mezcladas con imágenes vívidas de personas corriendo, bailando, paseando en bicicleta, y participando en otras actividades físicas.
El jardín ha crecido gracias a la exitosa asociación entre la iglesia Riverside Faith Temple y su líder, el pastor Duane Sims, La Extensión Cooperativa de la UC y los programas Viviendo Saludable de CalFresh y Maestro Jardinero UC.
Sims, voluntarios y educadores de UC Cooperative Extension en Riverside han trabajado en este proyecto desde 2019, cuando Sims comenzó a limpiar y nivelar el terreno para dar paso a la construcción de ocho jardineras elevadas. En la primavera de 2021 se plantaron frutas y hortalizas.
La siguiente fase es colocar adoquines alrededor de las cajas de cultivo. Actualmente, se buscan recursos para instalar un sistema de riego para el huerto comunitario. La ciudad de Riverside considera financiar el proyecto.
Los residentes de esa comunidad ya gozan de beneficios de los esfuerzos de la Ciudad de Riverside, Faith Temple, UC Master Gardeners, CalFresh Living Healthy, UCCE Riverside y las organizaciones comunitarias. El área luce renovada, más segura y productiva para los residentes.
El mural será develado el 30 de junio a las 6 PM y se invita al público a que visite el jardín que se encuentra ubicado en la intersección de las avenidas Sedgwick y Pennsylvania en la ciudad de Riverside.
- Author: Ricardo A. Vela
Mother Nature did her part by offering spectacular weekend weather as if she wanted to participate in the community garden events on Saturday in Riverside. Community members painted the first layer of a colorful mural on a wall bordering the edible garden in an Eastside neighborhood. City Council Member Clarissa Cervantes was one of them.
On behalf of the City of Riverside Acting Project Manager -Neighborhood Engagement Aggie Padilla presented a Small Sparks neighborhood grant to invigorate the community garden at the corner of Sedgwick and Pennsylvania avenues. The 1.5-acre garden is growing healthy food for the residents of this neighborhood of mostly Latinos and African Americans.
Participants began painting the community garden mural, which promotes healthy living, under the supervision of local artist Ron De Cid, known in Southern California for the color and strength of his murals. The mural depicts fresh fruits and vegetables mixed with vivid images of people running, dancing, bicycling, gardening, and engaging in other forms of exercise
The garden has grown thanks to the strong partnership between Riverside Faith Temple and its leader Pastor Duane Sims, and UC Cooperative Extension programs CalFresh Healthy Living and UC Master Gardener.
Sims, volunteers, and UC Cooperative Extension in Riverside have worked on this project since 2019 when Sims began cleaning and leveling the land to make way for the construction of eight elevated planters. Fruits and vegetables were planted in the spring of 2021.
The next phase is to place pavers around the planter boxes. Currently, resources are being sought to install an irrigation system for the community garden. The City of Riverside is considering financing the project.
The benefits of the efforts of the City of Riverside, Faith Temple, UC Master Gardeners, CalFresh Living Healthy, UCCE Riverside, and community organizations are already visible, beautifying the community and making the area more productive for residents.
After the painting and paving are completed, a celebration event is planned at the garden at 6 p.m. on June 30.
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