"I felt legally supported to participate, emotionally safe, and that what I had to say was powerful - that it counts. Some of the power that I had lost through the [immigration] process, I was able to get back."
The Spanish phrase "poder hablar" translates to both the ability to speak, and literally, the "power" of speaking. This week, we hear the powerful story of Isabel Quiroz of Tequio Community Farm in Mendocino, California. Isabel immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico four years ago, and was nervous about participating in the U.S. policy process, and about whether her experiences would be counted by Members of Congress. She shares with us about her journey to DC for our 2018 Convergence, and how becoming a young farmer advocate has helped her to gain a sense of agency as a U.S. citizen and to feel supported on her farm.
"Tequio comes from an indigenous concept in México that makes reference to a work party, traditionally members of a community would gather on a weekly basis to perform a task that would bring benefit to everyone."