First-generation college student and son of Mexican farm working immigrants, on his way to becoming a primary care physician in California’s Central Valley.
Geovanni Suarez grew up in the small rural town of Porterville in California’s Central Valley. His pediatrician was Ramon Resa, an abandoned farmworker boy in Central Valley who became a doctor and returned to his community to help kids like he once was. Both are featured in the Migrant Child Farmworkers to High-Profile Professionals documentary.
Geo only learned of Dr. Resa’s story when Ramon spoke at his high school. Surprised by everything Dr. Resa had to go through, Geo gained new-found confidence that he, too, could actually go after his long-time dream of becoming a doctor. Geo got accepted into UCLA where he graduated with a BS in physiological sciences and a Minor in Chicano/a/x studies. Like Dr. Resa, Geo’s goal is to become a doctor and return to his community to practice medicine.
Along the way, Geo was coached by Fernando Mendoza, a Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford and another professional featured in the documentary. Geo has been accepted to two medical schools and is deciding now where he will go.
Geo, Ramon and Fernando exemplify the message of the film – that every child (person) has limitless human potential, deserves to be treated with respect and should be given access to the same opportunities as anyone else.
When he’s not pursuing his path towards medicine, Geo plays mariachi music. He is an accomplished mariachi musician who played and served as the director of UCLA’s famed Mariachi Uclatlán band as well as playing in UC Davis’s Mariachi Los Mesteños band. He played trumpet on the album by Mariachi Mestizo, “Te Day La Libertad” recorded at Capitol Studios Hollywood where the Beatles recorded!
Watch him play during their Capitol Studios recording session:
The documentary is part of an ongoing project to change the narrative about Latinos, immigrants and other marginalized communities.
If you are interested in learning about hosting your own private screening event, email us: diane@themigrantchildfarmworkers.com