Breaking Barriers: Migrant Worker to Higher Education Scholar
Hi, my name is Berenice Verdugo, I come from a family of eight, the oldest of five beautiful children. My parents are from Chiapas, Mexico and I was born and raised in Florida. I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Global Business Management at the University of South Florida and will graduate in the Spring of 2025. The Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) Program I was a part of is the Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA). I remember having an incredible amount of enjoyment, while we learned English, built things as a team, and learned how to clean after ourselves with the cleanup song! Clean-up was my favorite activity since we would go outside and put on a pastel blue waterproof apron to wash our chairs. RCMA assisted me in feeling confident when going into kindergarten. When my parents dropped me off in the program, I knew they went to work but I had no idea what job it would take for them to provide a warm meal on our table until I was around eight years old. It was then that I began to work long hours with them in local national forests, collecting reindeer moss, branches from oak trees and pine trees. Some days were blazing hot, and others felt intensely humid. Years later my parents and I began working in plant nurseries. I worked in the agriculture field, up until I moved away from home to college when I was 18.
Fast forward, I am in Washington D.C! I thank God for this opportunity to meet the incredible NMSHSA team & MSHS parents. During my first week here, I met the MSHS community which I learned are passionate, determined, and full of love to give. Connecting with Lourdes Villanueva,who advocates for farmworker families, starting in the RCMA program in Seville FL, the location I attended, was one of many full-circle moments. As long as I can remember, I have always asked myself “What can I as a farmworker do to improve the quality of life for my parents?.” The Public Policy Forum was the first time I saw and felt the energy and commentary of the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start community, where topics like health, immigration, and education were discussed. Being in this room activated the advocacy side in me, and in Jesus' name, I am ready to be at NMSHSA’s service!