Tomatoes are significant to me because agriculture is very deep rooted into my family’s history. My grandfather grew up very poor during the Civil War in Mexico. During the late 1950’s he moved from Southern Mexico to Northern Mexico with his family of four in search of a better future. The Bracero Program was series of agreements between the United States and Mexico allowed Mexican workers to come into the United States in order to fulfill the shortage of United States workers during World War II that went terribly wrong due to illegal immigration. My grandfather was one of the hundred thousands of men that attempted to find a better future in a foreign land in the year of 1960. My grandfather crossed illegally and found work in a tomato field. After thinking that his first trip to the United States fields was a failure, he attempted it a second time. His second time around he could not find a job. Eventually, my grandfather ended up getting deported and establishing himself in Northern Mexico due to the growing agricultural economy at the time. With the help of his children he created a food commerce network that opened opportunities for other men like him that wanted a better future. For this reason, agriculture, especially tomatoes, played a big role in my family, since everyone worked in the same business. Ironically, to this day, he still grows and sells tomatoes to American corporations.

– Cindy V.

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