I grew up in Hatch, which was thirty minutes away from Las Cruces, but there is an immigration checkpoint in between. We would never go out to the movies or for ice cream with our friends because you had to go to Las Cruces to get there.
As kids we all knew but we never asked my Mom why, it was just like, we would never go.
The first time I went to the fields was with my grandpa on a Saturday, when I was 7 or 8, because Saturday is when the inspectors don't show up.
Farm labour is hard work and you have to be fast and work long hours or you're not going to make enough money. I know people in their 80s still out in the farmlands and seeing them struggle made me want to do something and hopefully give back to them.
My parents are my rock. When I see them I see everyone else out in the fields. That's what pushes me to finish and to not just give up halfway, and to continue going to school.
They make me proud, like my Dad has a sixth grade education and so does my Mom, that's all they were able to do.
But he sits on that tractor for 12 hours a day and my Mom comes back from the fields, and I’m like wow my parents have the best occupation because regardless of all the hardships they’ve been able to give me everything.
I joined the Student Action with Farmworkers intern program featured in Dateline's story, Bittersweet Harvest, because I wanted to fight against the injustices that have defined my parents’ and grandparents’ lives.
My internship involved working at Episcopal Farmworker Ministry, a non-profit organisation dedicated to serving the farmworker communities in North Carolina. They welcomed me with open arms and made me feel comfortable instantly.
Father Tony came in and his first words were, “Welcome, this is the farmworker ministry, our ministry, your ministry, anything you can do or change to help us make it better, please feel free to do so.”
We are here to help farmworkers and help them gain a sense of community.
We would visit camps in the afternoons, take them donations, and build relationships so that they knew they could come into the ministry and feel like they had a voice, that their opinions counted for something.
Many of the interns, like me, were from migrant farming families. I think we have a deep connection and understanding with the workers because we have lived through something similar ourselves.
We know what it’s like to live in fear or what it takes to just get by.
On my drives out into the camps in North Carolina I have a sense of freedom, I get to see the beautiful fields, the trees, lakes, and the crops that are being grown out here.
Nadia Moreno (centre in blue) is one of those taking part in a training camp on protecting the rights of farmworkers like her parents. Source: SBS Dateline
I am from New Mexico so I have never before seen so much green in my life. Growing up, I never stopped to look at a sunset. I was always way too busy in my own bubble to notice the beauty of things around me.
Now I like to pull the car over and stop and watch the sunset. It’s the saddest and the happiest time of a day. It’s sad because it is the end of a day, but it fills me with joy because every end is a new beginning.
My new community has given me a million ways I can work with farmworkers and even though a day isn’t enough, we have many more days to go out and try to make a positive influence. 
My mom has this thing, “Muy difficil, life isn't easy,” that’s always stuck with me, like if you really want to fight for something you can always find new ways to do it.
Nadia (second left) with her family. Source: SBS Dateline
At the beginning of summer I was still unsure about my future, but now I really think I’ve found what I want to do, with social work.
I’ve finally found my place.
More
Another Student Action with Farmworkers intern, Gerardo Silguero, has written the blog below for Dateline, plus read more blogs from other students on the SAF website.
