We recently held a private screening of the Migrant Child Farmworkers to High-Profile Professionals© documentary at the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum (“the Ath”) on the Claremont McKenna College campus. While there, we were interviewed for the Ath’s “Free Food for Thought” podcast by Natalie Chen, a CMC student and its co-director. Free Food for Thought gives CMC students a chance to interview Ath speakers so that a wider audience can also learn about the topics. Two of the individuals featured in the film, Dr. Ramon Resa and Enrique Diaz, participated in the episode.
Dr. Resa talked about how he was given away as a two-year-old boy to a family with 14 kids. They only took him in because they needed more hands for the fields. He talked about driving down I-5 from his office in Central Valley and seeing the fields where he used to pick oranges and irrigate crops. In those days he was told he would never be anything but a farmworker. But here he was – a pediatrician for over 40 years with a daughter who’s a therapist and a son who is also a pediatrician.
Enrique Diaz shared how he came to this country at age two with his mother from Mexico. He also worked in the fields along the I-5. He remembers getting to the end of a row and watching the cars go by, wondering where they were going. Were they coming from Disneyland? He finds it surreal that he was able to become an engineer at Apple for 24 years and pay it forward with philanthropy and his kids who have gone to MIT and Johns Hopkins.
Other highlights from the episode include:
Impostor Syndrome: Both men spoke about struggling with impostor syndrome with Dr. Resa saying that he didn’t think he was “smart enough” until he realized he had been practicing medicine for three years and that he made it! He was smart enough.
Lack of Role Models: Enrique said that he has a “Forest Gump” approach to life, stumbling around trying to find a path largely because of a lack of role models was a huge obstacle. He didn’t have anyone to help him identify goals or navigate the educational system. He didn’t sign up for the SAT until the night before the test – and certainly didn’t study for it. Ramon agreed, saying that beside one Latina teacher in elementary school, he never saw another Latino educator anywhere in his educational career – middle school, high school, college, med school or residency. He never saw a Latino doctor, lawyer or police officer in his town. And TV only cast Latinos as gang members or housekeepers.
Failing / Asking for Help: Both shared how each had failed at various key stages of their education – Dr. Resa failed chemistry in his Freshman year of college and Enrique failed his first computer science class! It’s OK to fail and to ask for help.
Inspirational People: Dr. Resa did not look up to anyone – until he met the group of people in the film! Enrique struggled too; he found inspiration in books like Dr. Resa’s memoir, Out of the Fields: My Journey from Farmworker Boy to Pediatrician. and other books about Latinos who have succeeded in professional fields.
LISTEN
LISTEN to the “Migrant Child Farmworkers to High-Profile Professionals” episode of Free Food For Thought.
ABOUT THE FILM
The Migrant Child Farmworkers to High-Profile Professionals© documentary tells the stories of eleven children who grew up with seemingly overwhelming problems including homelessness, hunger and poverty. Many had to work full-time as migrant child farm laborers. Today they are medical doctors, research scientists, engineers, educators, leaders elected to the U.S. Congress and California state government, and a former big law attorney turned Hollywood talent manager. Their success serves as a timely reminder of the limitless human potential of every child, no matter their background or circumstances.
You can see the film preview here: https://www.migrantchildfarmworkerstohighprofileprofessionals.com
For information about booking a screening event or interviewing the film’s producers / featured professionals, email: diane@themigrantchildfarmworkers.com
ABOUT FREE FO0D FOR THOUGHT
College students like free food and interesting thoughts. Free Food for Thought provides a platform for exclusive, accomplished experts to reach a wider audience beyond the attendees of their live speeches. By offering downloadable podcasts through Spotify, Soundcloud, and iTunes, Free Food for Thought ensures that engaging content is accessible to all. The unique podcast format allows speakers to delve into their areas of expertise, experiences, and stories in a down-to-earth, organic, and engaging flow that transcends prepared remarks. By delving more into each speaker’s background, personality, and dynamic perspectives, Free Food for Thought fosters a meaningful and personal connection between students and the speakers. These are the messages of experts on the go, available anytime, to feed your curiosity.
ABOUT NATALIE CHEN
Natalie is a Senior at CMC from Orange County, studying Philosophy and Public Affairs. She enjoys all things outdoors, tennis, and reading about topics ranging from the roots of the coffee industry, to the makeup of the human soul.