1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 1: Okay, if I guess, can you hear us? 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 2: Yeah? 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 1: How are you doing it? Well? Things have? They seem 4 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: to be changing every day, right, what's new for you 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: in terms of school and life? 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 2: They're gonna make me take some classes, but or like 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 2: I have to go pick up the work, like the 8 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 2: paperwork in school, Like I'm gonna have to be doing 9 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: that work by myself, and like if I don't do 10 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: it right, or like if I go to the school 11 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 2: and when I turn it in it's not right, Like 12 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 2: that's gonna be a big part of my grade. So 13 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: I'm thinking my mom, like it's gonna be a little 14 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,639 Speaker 2: bit hard if I if I do end up doing 15 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 2: it wrong, Like I don't have. 16 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: A teacher to like teach me. We know that you 17 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: work really hard to graduate in time. What is it like, 18 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: I mean to all of a sudden be thround this. 19 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: I guess it's unfortunate because it's my senior year. If 20 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 2: it was like my freshman or south for a junior year, 21 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 2: I wouldn't really worry about it because I'll be like, nah, 22 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 2: I can make it up next year. I still have 23 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 2: time to fix it. But this is my senior year. 24 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 2: It's gonna be pretty hard because if I if I 25 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 2: end up failing, like it's gonna affect me a lot. 26 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 2: I want to graduate and like I want to be 27 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 2: life in quarantine anything like that. I wanted to be 28 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 2: like everybody else when there's a lot of people, and 29 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 2: like when I get off the stage, like I see 30 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 2: my mom and everybody there and they tell me, oh, 31 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 2: good job. 32 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 3: From futuro media, it's like, you know, USA, I'm Maria Inojosa. 33 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 3: At the top of this story, you heard from a 34 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 3: young man in Texas named Reyes. He's a high school 35 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 3: student and also a migrant farm worker. 36 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 4: Since he was nine. 37 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 3: Years old, he's left school almost every year in the 38 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 3: spring to do farm work in Michigan over the summer 39 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 3: and into early fall. More than three hundred thousand farm 40 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 3: workers in the US are students like Reyes. Because agriculture 41 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 3: is exempt from regulations that establish things like minimum wage 42 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:31,359 Speaker 3: and age limits, children can legally work in the fields 43 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 3: starting at the age of twelve and sometimes even younger 44 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 3: if they're working on a family farm. And for those students, 45 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 3: balancing schoolwork and the financial needs of a family is 46 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 3: often challenging, and of course now COVID nineteen has thrown 47 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 3: an extra wrench into things this past spring, as Reyes 48 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,359 Speaker 3: entered his last semester of his senior year of high 49 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: school and worked towards graduating. Reporters Karen Cots and Baleria 50 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 3: have been following him, documenting the ups and downs along 51 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 3: the way. But first they actually take us back to 52 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 3: when they met prey Is way back in twenty eighteen. 53 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 3: Just to note, listeners, we won't be using some people's 54 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 3: last names in this story because of their immigration status 55 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 3: for their family's status, Valeriat tells us the story. 56 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 5: Edinburgh, Texas is a small city just north of the 57 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 5: US Mexico border. The city sits on the outskirts of 58 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 5: McAllen in the Rio Grande Valley, and the land here 59 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 5: is wide and flat. It's October and sugarcane season, and 60 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 5: the fields are full of workers. Among the farm fields 61 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 5: and new house in developments since Edinburgh High School. It's 62 00:03:55,200 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 5: a sprawling campus of twenty five hundred students, and inside 63 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 5: the school, in a conference room with no windows, a 64 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 5: group of eight young people gather around folding tables. Everyone 65 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 5: here has one thing in common. While other kids spend 66 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 5: their summer vacations going to come or at the community pool. 67 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:22,600 Speaker 5: These students migrated north to work in agricultural fields, okay, 68 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 5: who wants to and they are all members or former 69 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 5: members of the Migrant Student Club at Edinburgh High. They 70 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 5: gather today to share their stories. 71 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 6: MY name is David, and I'm seventeen right now. I'm 72 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:39,720 Speaker 6: about to turn eighteen on Sunday. Thank you. 73 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 5: David is a smiley young man with shaved hair on 74 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 5: the sides, and he tells a room about his summer 75 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 5: working in Michigan's blueberry and strawberry fields. 76 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 6: I wake up four, five, six in the morning, and okay, 77 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 6: let's go make yourself a tackle, because that's all the 78 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 6: time that we have for And so we go out 79 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 6: and it's long and it's hard. I mean, to take 80 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:01,559 Speaker 6: your hands out the bushes. You'd have to wear long sleeve, 81 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 6: maybe a double long sleeve, because you rip your shirt, 82 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 6: you rip your skin, you know. 83 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 5: He says he thought he was a pretty quick worker 84 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 5: until he met other migrant workers. 85 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 6: I thought I was really really fast, you know. I 86 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 6: was like, you know what, like I'm a young guy, 87 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 6: I'm gonna be able to be like really really fast 88 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 6: at this you know, like these old guys got nothing 89 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:22,360 Speaker 6: on me. I'd finish one bucket and the guy next 90 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:23,320 Speaker 6: to me finished last six. 91 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 5: Right next to David is Leslie, and she's a former student. 92 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 7: My parents have been migrant workers all my life. I 93 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 7: was two months old when they first started migrating in Iowa. 94 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 5: She actually graduated in two thousand and six and went 95 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 5: on to become a nurse. But she talks about how 96 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 5: going to class as a migrant farm worker was a struggle, 97 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 5: especially switching between her school in Texas and her school 98 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 5: in Iowa. 99 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 7: I felt so out of place because these weren't my friends. 100 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 7: It wasn't the people I was used to me, and 101 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 7: everybody looked at me like, what are you doing here? 102 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 2: You don't belong with us. 103 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 1: It's hard. 104 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 7: It's very difficult to go back and forth. You can't 105 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 7: take the same classes. You're never with the same people. 106 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 4: It was hard. 107 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 5: Uh just my name, yeah, Ramond. A young man in 108 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 5: a red T shirt is on the other side of 109 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 5: the table. 110 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 8: He chimes in, I'm one of seven the younger ones 111 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 8: right there. This is my mother. 112 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 5: Many of the students or former students came here today 113 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,279 Speaker 5: with their mothers. They wanted to give us a full 114 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 5: picture of what being in a migrant worker family is like. 115 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 8: And we've been going up to work for a good while, 116 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 8: like a family tradition. Once you turn thirteen, my grandfather 117 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 8: would take you and our mother would join us and 118 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 8: they would take us up and we'd go work in 119 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 8: Minnesota and North Dakota. But since I was a little 120 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:47,840 Speaker 8: bit on the shorter side, I had to wait till 121 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 8: I was thirteen. And then when I was thirteen, then 122 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 8: I was able to join them. 123 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 5: He still remembers his very first year starting out in Fargo, 124 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 5: North Dakota, when he realized the farmer didn't use pesticides. 125 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 8: And I thought that was cool, until I realized that 126 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 8: that man, like all the weeds and all the like, 127 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 8: everything that didn't belong there, we had to take out 128 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 8: by ourselves. So that was a tough year to have 129 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 8: us the first year because that year alone, the farmers 130 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 8: like all of the weeds must go. And since I 131 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 8: was really new, I didn't know what was weed or 132 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 8: what was not weed. 133 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 5: As they kept talking, the discussion is lively and there's 134 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 5: a lot of chit chat. 135 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: You know. 136 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 6: We'd get half an hour of lunch and put pix 137 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 6: in a foil, put it on on the dashboard and 138 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 6: hopefully it's warm enough so you can eat it for lunch. 139 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 8: Oh you want to go to the movies. I'm like, 140 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 8: you know what, maybe maybe not, because I know what 141 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 8: the value of this dollar was, and I don't want 142 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 8: to just supend it to sit down for no reason. 143 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 8: I'll wait till it comes out on DVD. 144 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 9: One time, a snake came out and I took it out. 145 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 4: I mean I wasn't scared of it. 146 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 7: I would get it with the hand like frogs have 147 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 7: come out. 148 00:07:52,440 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 5: Rats. But there's one student this whole time who has 149 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:04,239 Speaker 5: been pretty quiet. He has on a gray baseball cap 150 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 5: and on his face you can see the shadow of 151 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 5: his first mustache. As he begins to talk, we're struck 152 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 5: by his seriousness. 153 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 10: The spurgus, the smell is very like strong. Sometimes it 154 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 10: sticks on the clothes like it doesn't take off. 155 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 4: Sometimes. 156 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 5: Dregas is sixteen and he has been working in Michigan 157 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 5: for seven years. 158 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 10: And last time I had this bag that was dirty, 159 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 10: and when I came back, like all the stitch like smell, 160 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 10: I remember now the spurgus that we were pricking and 161 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 10: this and that, like the days. 162 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 5: Sitting right by his side and listening closely is his mom, 163 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 5: Maria Mgdalena, and she begins talking. 164 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 7: Well as soon on my experience, yeah, monita. 165 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 1: Vian guru. 166 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 5: Maria Mgdalena first went to work in Michigan in twy 167 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 5: eleven with Reggia's and her husband. She says the experience 168 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 5: was beautiful but. 169 00:08:55,920 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 10: Hardos elees, parago, travahamas el every hole, el mice. 170 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 5: They worked with asparagus, bean, potatoes, and corn. She ended 171 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 5: up only working in the fields that one year. Maria 172 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 5: Magdalena doesn't have papers, and so she was worried about 173 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 5: being stopped and deported if she migrated north again. But 174 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 5: she says her son, Reggia's has still been going, you know, 175 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,079 Speaker 5: and as she mentions him, she's overcome with emotion. 176 00:09:32,559 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 4: And forget. 177 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:40,199 Speaker 2: You're carried. 178 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 4: Alstatis. 179 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 5: Maria Magdalena says Regias decided to continue to work with 180 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 5: other relatives in the fields when she couldn't go. He 181 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 5: thought her, mom, I want to go, so I can 182 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 5: help you. She said, are you sure and he said yes, 183 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 5: so she gave him permission. 184 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 6: To do it. 185 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 10: Alos a joeva san. 186 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: El. 187 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 5: Maria Magdalena says Regges has helped out a lot by 188 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 5: paying household bills, and he pays for all of his 189 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 5: own clothes, his shoes, and yet she knows it's difficult 190 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 5: work and there are times she doesn't really want him 191 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 5: to go back. 192 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 4: He paces, then you don't know what. 193 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 5: And so this year she told him, you won't go 194 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,439 Speaker 5: to the fields. Hearing his mom speak opens up some 195 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 5: old wounds for Reges. 196 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 10: I started working when I was nine with my parents, 197 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 10: like she had said. And first when I was MA. 198 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 10: It was hard for me because I was nine years 199 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:55,719 Speaker 10: old in the field, like I don't know what I 200 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 10: was doing. 201 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 5: He says he felt alone without his mom and he 202 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 5: was book by other kids. 203 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 10: The first year, I suffered a lot, but I didn't 204 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 10: tell my mom. 205 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 2: I don't want her to work. So I was like, not, 206 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 2: I'm not. 207 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 10: Gonna tell you. They used to tell me because I 208 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 10: was slow. My first used to tell me names, used 209 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 10: to tell me, you can't do this, just quit. I 210 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:18,199 Speaker 10: suffered a lot, but I was like, you know what 211 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:21,439 Speaker 10: I need. My family like move on, because if I 212 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 10: don't do it, who is gonna do it. 213 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 5: My co reporter Karen has one last question for Radius. 214 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 5: Do you have a message to people who. 215 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 9: Are sort of disconnected from the foods that they're. 216 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: That you're working with. 217 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 10: Just try not to judge people that are doing your 218 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 10: like your food, because sometimes I would go to stores 219 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 10: and they'll look at me like weird, and I'll be like, Oh, 220 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 10: I just came out of work, what do you expect? 221 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 4: I know, I'm dirty and all that. 222 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:51,679 Speaker 10: But sometimes we'll eat in restaurants, they'll sit us like 223 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 10: in a different place, but we would be like, what's fine. 224 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 4: We get it were dirty, but like, just try to 225 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 4: be in a little more. 226 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:13,839 Speaker 5: Gentle This whole time, as we've been talking, there is 227 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 5: a man sitting off to the side on a falling 228 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 5: chair in the corner. He's been listening to all these stories, 229 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 5: occasionally jumping in with a few details of his own. 230 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 4: What they've gone through, the experience is still some of 231 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 4: those things that I experienced in my life, and I 232 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 4: can identify with them one hundred percent. 233 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 5: This is Roberto Garcia, the Edinburgh High Migrant student counselor. 234 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 5: Like many of the students here, he also grew up 235 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 5: in the Edinburgh area and as a kid he remembers 236 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,679 Speaker 5: summers piling into a big truck to go work in 237 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 5: the fields with his family. 238 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,079 Speaker 4: My mother was pregnant with child, and they would literally 239 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 4: have to pull over a couple of times where my 240 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:56,559 Speaker 4: mother would deliver a child. I help other with the 241 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 4: assistants of other ladies, and then two or three hours 242 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 4: later they would put him back on the truck and 243 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 4: go on like the grapes of wrath. That type of 244 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 4: said what I saw and read the book, it reminded 245 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 4: me of my own family. As I was reading that book. 246 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 5: His mother had twenty one children in all. Roberto was 247 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 5: the eighteenth, and he credits his mom's strength for a lot. 248 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 4: What a life for this lady and then seeing her 249 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 4: have so many children and the life that she went 250 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,959 Speaker 4: through she had so on and forth, really inspired me 251 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 4: to want to try to break away from that type 252 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 4: of the cycle and teach others as well how we 253 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:38,080 Speaker 4: can break away from that micro life cycle. 254 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 5: He went on to become the first in his family 255 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 5: to graduate from high school and get multiple degrees, and 256 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 5: now he's part of the National Migrant Education Program, which 257 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 5: has supported Migra students across the country since nineteen sixty six. 258 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 5: Roberto works with over one hundred students and he's essentially 259 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 5: the cheerleader. 260 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 4: I was not the smartest cooking. I had to study 261 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,839 Speaker 4: three times harder than man the other kids. But I 262 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 4: was determined. So if I if I did it, you 263 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:05,439 Speaker 4: can do it. 264 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 11: You can do it. 265 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 4: You can do it. 266 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 5: Migrant students have these raptior schedules. They often leave school 267 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 5: in early spring and come back in late fall, which 268 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,319 Speaker 5: means they miss out on staff like school dances or 269 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 5: joining a sports team. So Roberto started the Migrant Student 270 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 5: Club as a way for these kids to connect with 271 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 5: each other, and he keeps a close eye on them. 272 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 5: If they stop coming to school, he'll visit their homes 273 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 5: to bring them back. But one of his biggest roles 274 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 5: is helping migrant students navigate two school systems, the one 275 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 5: where they work and the one where they live in Texas. 276 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 4: I'll tell them, you know one when you get to Roanoque, Indiana, 277 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 4: I want for the counselor the principal or whoever to 278 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 4: call me, because you need to be in these classes. Well, 279 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 4: when they get there, they don't put them in those classes. 280 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 4: Then the students lose credit. 281 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 5: Migrant students can actually take class in the towns where 282 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 5: they are working, but they don't always enroll or the 283 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 5: schools don't offer the same classes. 284 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 10: This year, I left early and they didn't want to 285 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 10: give me four credits of mine. I went to school 286 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 10: with her, and they didn't have most of the classes 287 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 10: that I have here, so they didn't give me a 288 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 10: great friad for example. 289 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 5: That just tells us he left school early in May 290 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 5: and return in September. By then, he had missed so 291 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 5: much class that well, he was supposed to be a junior. 292 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 5: He didn't technically have enough credits, and so when I 293 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 5: just returned that year from Michigan, he went looking for 294 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 5: Roberto for help. 295 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 10: When I came like a few weeks afterwards, he's like, 296 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 10: I got good news. 297 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 4: And I was like, what happens to her? And he's like, 298 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 4: I just got you your credits back. 299 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 5: It wasn't quite that easy. Roberto had to put him 300 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 5: in a special program to make up the class where 301 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 5: he missed, and I just had to do some extra 302 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 5: work at home. But in the end he was allowed 303 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 5: to become a junior. 304 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 10: And you just keep pushing, keep pushing and make it 305 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 10: and get all your credit so you can be a senior. 306 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 4: I was like, thank you, sir, I appreciate very much. 307 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 5: This time around, Roberto was able to help Reiges. In 308 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 5: Register school district, only seventy one percent of migrant students 309 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 5: who started in the ninth grade made it all the 310 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 5: way to graduation in twenty seventeen. That's a lower rate 311 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 5: than some students who live under the poverty line. So 312 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 5: we wanted to follow Regis into his final year of 313 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 5: high school. It's a year that is intense for any student, 314 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 5: but in particular for Regis, who has the added pressure 315 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 5: of working and taking care of his family. 316 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 10: They go, want to help my grandpa. I don't want 317 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 10: to get my mom a better house too. I'm trying 318 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 10: to help all of his family. 319 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 5: When we started to check on him over a year later, 320 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 5: one thing was clear. 321 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 2: I want a better life than this. I don't want 322 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 2: to be doing the service of my. 323 00:16:55,240 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 12: Life coming up on that. 324 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 3: You know, USA. We fast forward in time and check 325 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 3: back in with Rayes over one year later. Stay with 326 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 3: us lot, yes, and we're back. It's now twenty twenty 327 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 3: and ray is closing in on his goal of graduating. 328 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 3: He just started the last semester of his senior year. 329 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 3: Reporters Karen Coates and Valeria Fernandez have been following him 330 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 3: and Valeria continues with the story. 331 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 5: Now, it's been about a year and a half since 332 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:19,119 Speaker 5: we last says, We've been keeping in touch by phone 333 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 5: and text. He's now seventeen. 334 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:24,959 Speaker 2: The end. 335 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 1: How are you doing really? 336 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 5: And we call him in February. We want to see 337 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 5: what he's up to and what's on his mind. 338 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 2: Oh, today we went on a filture to go see 339 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 2: your college in school. 340 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 5: Rayas went to Texas State Technical College, a community college nearby. 341 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, they have a classic that inside and they teach 342 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 2: our hands on welding. Are you doing just well, like 343 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 2: inside the place that you don't have to be like 344 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 2: in the heat. 345 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 5: He's thinking maybe about going into welding or fixing engines 346 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 5: or even building airplanes. 347 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:03,960 Speaker 2: Since I've been like used to the field. I'm like 348 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 2: used to working with my hands. They said that I 349 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 2: can get a job here in the airport and the 350 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,640 Speaker 2: airport there and hard engine Like I could even get 351 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 2: a job there and they would be paying up to 352 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 2: like thirty five dollars an hour. 353 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:18,680 Speaker 5: Well, ask him about what his family is doing, and 354 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 5: he brings up his grandpa. When Drosius has money, it's 355 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 5: his grandpa. He likes to spend it on. 356 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 2: He likes going a lot to like the buffett And 357 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 2: I tell him like, if you want, we can go, 358 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 2: we can go to eat today. And then he's like, 359 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 2: are you sure. He's like tell but like when I'll 360 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 2: be lying, I was like, yeah, thank you today. 361 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 5: His grandpa is the one who has been encouraging him 362 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 5: to look at college classes. 363 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 2: He's always like worries about me, even though sometimes he 364 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 2: does get like a little bit crouchy. He does worry 365 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 2: a lot about me and a lot about my cousins 366 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 2: because he wants the best for us. He's always giving 367 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 2: us advice, and he's always telling me like just He's like, 368 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 2: you're gonna make it like for me, and I know 369 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 2: you are, and even our working kids. 370 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: And he's law. 371 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 5: But there's still a ways to go to graduation. A 372 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 5: few weeks later, we call up his counselor Roberto, to 373 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 5: us how Regius is doing in school grads? 374 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 12: Is it really disappointed me as far as his. 375 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:19,440 Speaker 2: Is the grades? 376 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 5: He tells us Lately he has watched Regius's grades sleep 377 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 5: and he's worried. 378 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 12: Towards the end of last semester, I had some complaints 379 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 12: from some teachers that he was just like giving up. 380 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 12: And I called him in and we talked about it, 381 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 12: and he said that it was just he was getting 382 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 12: senior writists. 383 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:41,360 Speaker 5: He was worried enough that he arranged some help for Regies. 384 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 12: So in terms of that, I had to put him 385 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 12: in a special class for migrant kids. And he's having 386 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,159 Speaker 12: to make some of the work there because of his 387 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 12: last semester grades. 388 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:53,399 Speaker 5: And there used started doing extra work and catching up. 389 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 5: But then all of a sudden things get much harder 390 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 5: for Regies and all students. Just a few days later, 391 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 5: the coronavirus hits Texas seventeen Idalgo County, which includes the 392 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 5: city of Edinburgh, the clearest state of emergency. We called 393 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 5: Chester's mother, Maria Magdalena, to see how they're doing. 394 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 2: Na don't them covers. 395 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 5: She tells us she was planning to go sell a 396 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 5: few things at the flea market over the weekend to 397 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:33,640 Speaker 5: make extra money, but it's shut down, and she has 398 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 5: a part time job at a bakery, but that's shut 399 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 5: down too, and I and I and I and I. 400 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 5: Maria Magdalena says there are shortages in the stores of 401 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 5: things like eggs, chicken, and toilet paper. And she says 402 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 5: she's worried about paying their mortgage. 403 00:21:56,119 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: I know, no they. 404 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 5: Maria mcdalena told her husband that they need all the 405 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 5: help they can get from God. The bills don't wait, 406 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 5: she says. You may stop working, but the bills don't stop. 407 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 5: But even in the middle of this pandemic and the 408 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 5: obstacles it brings, she says, it's Reggia's she's thinking about people. 409 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 2: Don't you. 410 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 5: That he'll graduate and be able to go in the 411 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 5: career that he wants. After talking to his mom, we 412 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 5: want to check in with Reggia's two. 413 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: Can you hear us Iris? 414 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 2: Yeah? How are you doing? 415 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:43,160 Speaker 8: Good? 416 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: Good? He says. 417 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 5: The Edinburgh Unified the school district has announced that they 418 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 5: will close until further notice due to COVID nineteen. He 419 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 5: had been catching up on school in the special class 420 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 5: room there to put him in before the pandemic, and 421 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 5: when we talk, he seems concerned that all the world 422 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 5: his foot into raise his grades could be lost. 423 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,199 Speaker 1: Is this making you angry? 424 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 2: Oh, not really angry. It's just that it makes me 425 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:14,400 Speaker 2: like a little bit worried, like because I do want 426 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,679 Speaker 2: to graduate, like with my whole class, Like I wouldn't 427 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 2: want to be like the one kid that, like everybody do, 428 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,159 Speaker 2: walking on top and I'm always here, still trying to 429 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,199 Speaker 2: graduate like I wouldn't want to do that. I've been 430 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 2: trying to pass my classes with like eighties and nineties, 431 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 2: and I've been doing good and then for this to 432 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 2: like backfire on me. I can't call or I can't 433 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 2: take the teacher because I don't know their number or 434 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 2: anything like that. You get me. 435 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 5: And in this moment, when his family is tight on money, 436 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:46,880 Speaker 5: he says he wishes he took a job at Walmart. 437 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 2: They're getting paid a lot, and now that I think 438 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 2: about it, I should have gotten a job there, like 439 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 2: job of my parents, just kids, they needed help with anything. 440 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 5: Helping students like him cope with financial pressures outside of 441 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 5: school is exactly why the National Migrant Education Program was 442 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:13,880 Speaker 5: created in the first place. But it's around this time 443 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 5: in March that we also find out that the program 444 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:20,120 Speaker 5: that supports students like Reggis will be seriously cut back. 445 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 12: In fall, we did get some bad news from the 446 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 12: state and our budget. In the state of Texas, the 447 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 12: Migrant ED is going to be cut one third. 448 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 5: Roberto is the one who tells us about this. 449 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 12: So there's going to be a lot less monies and 450 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 12: possibly a lot less migrant personnel from the national level. 451 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 5: We asked Roberto, what does that mean for students next year? 452 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 12: Very simple, there will be less resources for them in 453 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 12: terms of supplemental health supplies, clothing, college tours, a parent meeting. 454 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:02,200 Speaker 12: It's going to be even less of an opportunity for 455 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 12: the Viber student to get that additional help. 456 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 5: By early April, remote learning has been going on for 457 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 5: a few weeks, and Roberto says it has been difficult 458 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:12,920 Speaker 5: for many of his students. 459 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, can you hear it? Okay, well I can hear. 460 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 2: I can hear the three of you and me. It's four, 461 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:21,360 Speaker 2: so there's four wars on the line. 462 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 5: So he calls to Iges to check in on him, 463 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 5: to talk about what he needs to finish in order 464 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:26,360 Speaker 5: to graduate. 465 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 2: Like I'll get on the computer for like an hour 466 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 2: a day, an hour or two and just try to 467 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:32,959 Speaker 2: finish as much as I can. 468 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:36,680 Speaker 5: Because of the coronavirus, Roberto says, some of his students 469 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 5: are not finishing all the credits they need, and so 470 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 5: sometimes he's guiding them to finish a more basic diploma 471 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 5: than they had planned. It's a strategy. The school has 472 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 5: turned too since the pandemic. 473 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 2: Your credits that you need to take. And as a 474 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 2: matter of fact, I had this Johnson calling me right. 475 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:53,920 Speaker 5: Now, you all hold on, okay, and well Regis is 476 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:56,880 Speaker 5: on the line. Roberto actually gets a call from another counselor, 477 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 5: missus Johnson. He puts her on a speakerphone. 478 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 2: How many credits have he completed? 479 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 5: They talk for a while about aus and look at 480 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 5: his class work. 481 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 11: As counselors, I think that would be the best bet 482 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 11: to advise the young man and not have to carry 483 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:18,920 Speaker 11: on more classes than what he needs. Right now, okay, 484 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:23,240 Speaker 11: hold ones, yes, okay, rees, did you hear miss Johnson 485 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,239 Speaker 11: what she's saying. That it's best for us to leave 486 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 11: you in the twenty two credit one because that's going 487 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 11: to accept you into TSC. 488 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 5: Anyway, they took for a while about Regis and look 489 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 5: at his class work, and then Roberto tells Regis they 490 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 5: have figured out that if he can just finish the 491 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,920 Speaker 5: rest of his current class work, he can get a diploma. 492 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 5: It won't be necessarily enough to get him into a 493 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 5: four year university, but it will let him starty welding 494 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:54,199 Speaker 5: ranged mechanics at a technical college like Texas State Community College. 495 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:58,160 Speaker 11: All they very require again is just that a twenty 496 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 11: two credit foundation program. So you're okay, don't don't get stressed, 497 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 11: You're going to be okay. 498 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 4: Okay. 499 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 5: Then Regis as Roberto about graduation. He wants to know 500 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 5: if he graduates, will the ceremony even happen? 501 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:18,160 Speaker 3: It may it may happen. 502 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 11: Raise don't get deserts like graduation like the walk my 503 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 11: mom was expecting from me, like the. 504 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 2: Walk, So like hopefully they do do a graduation like 505 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 2: my mom kiso, and that I wanted to do it 506 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 2: for it anyway. 507 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 5: At the end of the call, Roberto asked about Regis's 508 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 5: plan for the summer. He had mentioned Corpus Christie, which 509 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:40,240 Speaker 5: is one hundred and fifty miles away. 510 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 12: You're thinking about maybe going to Corpus What kind of 511 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 12: work are you going to be doing over this electricity? 512 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: Electrical work over there? 513 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 2: Okay? And nothing with my no agriculture, No, but I 514 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 2: might go to Michigan again. I don't know you. 515 00:27:57,160 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 5: Michigan means working in the fields again. 516 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:11,840 Speaker 13: Yes, I just woke up today and it is Thursday. 517 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 5: For the rest of the month of April, we don't 518 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 5: hear much from Regis. It turns out he got a 519 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,239 Speaker 5: full time ninety five job as a mechanic apprentice at 520 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 5: a car shop, but he does send us a few 521 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 5: voice recordings. 522 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 13: Hopefully we don't have to do that, which today just 523 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 13: a couple of course. I just got home and I'm 524 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 13: about to eat. My mom eats some food. I just 525 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 13: went to the daughter right now. It was pretty packed. 526 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 13: The virus thing is still going on. I guess I 527 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 13: just finished like two or three of my assignments, and 528 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:49,719 Speaker 13: I'm gonna go take a shower right now. 529 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 2: I gotta work in the morning. 530 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 5: We do hear from Roberto, who tells us Reggis has 531 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 5: been a little difficult to reach. He's so close, he says, 532 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 5: just a few days of work and he'll be done. 533 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 2: Hello, Hello, no, hey, how you let me go? 534 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 5: In late May, the last week of Reggias in your year, 535 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 5: Roberto gives Reggis a call with some important news. He 536 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 5: tells him graduation will happen in person with social distancing 537 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 5: measures later in the summer. 538 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: And then, okay, well, guess what. 539 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 11: You are fully certified with all the requirements to graduate. 540 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 2: So congratulations, thank you. 541 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:45,760 Speaker 1: Yes, actually, I'm yes, I'm so proud You're done. 542 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 2: How that feel. 543 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 5: Finally, he tells Roberto, now I don't have to struggle anymore. 544 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:02,320 Speaker 11: Raises your mo mother. 545 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 2: She she hugging you. 546 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 5: Yes, she's right, and then his mom gets on the line. 547 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 5: She says she asked God to help her son graduate 548 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 5: and that it would be her proudest moment to see 549 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 5: him walk. She says she loves him and she's so 550 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 5: proud of him. The they just tell her he loves 551 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 5: her too. He jokingly says that she won't have to 552 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 5: grapple with him about school anymore. She no longer has 553 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 5: to worry. He says, now he can really make money, 554 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 5: and he says he's so grateful to have her as 555 00:30:58,200 --> 00:30:58,640 Speaker 5: his mother. 556 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 8: Ma. 557 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 5: It's graduation day, Maria Magdalena films on her phone and 558 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 5: she gets in her car with Regga's and his grandma 559 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 5: to head to Edinburgh High School gas. She says she's 560 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 5: been longing for this day to arrive. The six hundred 561 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 5: students are all several feet apart. There is no hugging 562 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 5: or touching, and each student wears a mask. Reyas is 563 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 5: much taller than when we first met him, and today 564 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 5: he's wearing his regalia and a green and yellow cord 565 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:01,000 Speaker 5: that all the migrants students were, and. 566 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 9: Join me as we remove our tassels from right to 567 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 9: left to signify that we are now official high school 568 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 9: graduates for God through Dream four. 569 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 5: In just a few days, Duggies will be gone, already 570 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 5: off to Louisiana for a new summer job in construction. 571 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:25,720 Speaker 5: His plan is to save money for his family and 572 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 5: to go to college in the fall, which means he'll 573 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 5: be away from his family again. It's the irony the 574 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:38,800 Speaker 5: tragedy of myron work. People often take these exhausting, arduous 575 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 5: jobs to help their families, and yet the work often 576 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 5: keeps them hundreds and thousands of miles away from the 577 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 5: very people they're working for. One day, when he has 578 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:56,320 Speaker 5: the time and money and his mom finally has her 579 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 5: immigration papers, Tregis has a dream. 580 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 2: I like take of state and let her see Michigan again, 581 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 2: or like not to go work, but to go see 582 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 2: it as like Michigan as it. 583 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 5: Is when she went before. She was too busy working 584 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:14,760 Speaker 5: in the sparagus fields to stop for a moment to 585 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 5: notice the trees, the birds, the scenery. And he was 586 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 5: working too so they never had a summer vacation. 587 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:24,520 Speaker 2: Of course that when you're working, you don't really get 588 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:27,520 Speaker 2: to feed that much, but if you're there to visit, 589 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 2: it's a really beautiful case. 590 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:33,120 Speaker 5: He wants to go north again, but this time he 591 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 5: wants them to go together. 592 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 3: Our things to raise his family and to his counselor, 593 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 3: Robert Dobarcia. Since reporting this story, Raise is back from 594 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 3: working in Louisiana. He says at the end of August 595 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 3: he plans to go to Wisconsin to work in the 596 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 3: potato fields. He wants to save enough money to attend 597 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:25,880 Speaker 3: college and later open up his own family business. This 598 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:28,840 Speaker 3: episode was written and reported by Karen Coates and Valeria 599 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 3: Fernandez and edited by Sophia Palisaka, with additional editing from 600 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:37,600 Speaker 3: Antonia Serejido. This reporting was supported by the International Women's 601 00:34:37,640 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 3: Media Foundation and by the Education Writers Association. The Latino 602 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:47,360 Speaker 3: USA team includes Ian Macis, Luis Trees, Genes Yamoca, Julieta Martinelli, 603 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:51,719 Speaker 3: Gini Montalgo, alisaes Carse, and Alejandra Sarasad, with help from 604 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 3: Raoul Berees. Fact checking by Nidia A. Boutista. Our engineers 605 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 3: are Stephanie Leveau, Julia Caruso, and Liah Shaw. Our Director 606 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:03,280 Speaker 3: of pro Remain in Operations is Natalia Pidhoutz. Our digital 607 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 3: editor is Amandel Cantra. Our New York Women's Foundation a 608 00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:10,480 Speaker 3: night Fellow is Julia Rocha. Our interns are Sophia Sanchez 609 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 3: and Marie Mendosa. Our theme music was composed by Segher Robinos. 610 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 3: If you like the music you heard on this episode, 611 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 3: dot by Latinousa dot org and check out our weekly 612 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:24,240 Speaker 3: Spotify playlist. I'm your host and executive producer Marien Rosa. 613 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 3: Join us on our next episode, and in the meantime, 614 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:29,840 Speaker 3: look for us on all of your social media. Asta 615 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 3: Approxima Jao. 616 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:40,400 Speaker 5: Latino USA is made possible in part by W. K. 617 00:35:40,719 --> 00:35:45,440 Speaker 5: Kellogg Foundation, a partner with Communities where Children Come First. 618 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:49,680 Speaker 5: The Annie Casey Foundation creates a brighter future for the 619 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 5: nation's children by strengthening families, building greater economic opportunity, and 620 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:59,719 Speaker 5: transforming communities, and funding for Latino USA is Coverage of 621 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:02,480 Speaker 5: a culture of health is made possible in part by 622 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:04,840 Speaker 5: a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.