An Interview With a Cattle Worker in Colorado

In 2022, the Colorado Equity Compass (CEC) awarded 20 organizations and community groups across Colorado $2,000 to share the stories of Colorado residents working to fight inequities related to the social determinants of health (SDOH). This is a story product from CEC Awardee: Project Protect Food Systems Workers.

In 2021, advocates, farmers, and agricultural workers came together under a shared vision of improving the labor rights of agricultural workers in Colorado. As part of this work, Promotor/as from Project Protect Food System Workers began collecting statements and stories from agricultural workers across the state. One of the first stories collected was an interview conducted by Laura Salinas with an anonymous cattle worker in Yuma County in February of that year. At the heart of the interview, the worker explains how his commitment to supporting his family is central to his life and work.

[Promotora] Ok, what's so difficult about working with Colorado farmers and Colorado farms?

[Worker] Well, I think that, well, there are many hours of work and as I work with cattle, I have to work every day, even if I'm sick or anything else. Yes, or yes, I have a commitment with my family. I have to be working anyway.

[Promotora] And what do you think causes these difficulties?

[Worker] I think it is, right now it's more like, about work well we need it, work. And since they pay very little, we need to work a little more to support the family.

[Promotora] Ok, why do you work here in Colorado and what brings you here?

[Worker] Well, the main thing is for my family. To support my family and because my family is here, too, and the other thing is, because I need work to support my family.

You can listen to the full audio of this interview at esencialcolorado.org. Through doing COVID outreach and assistance within their own communities, promotoras accumulated an inventory of stories that illuminated realities that these workers faced in Colorado. EsencialColorado.org, a public community archive, was developed to position these realities as undeniable, to celebrate these humans who are always essential, and to invite the public to take further action towards justice. You can explore more stories here.