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Crosscurrents

Fresh Fruits, Broken Bodies: the lives of migrant workers

Viviana Aguirre, UFW union worker at Muranaka Farms in Oxnard, CA

While it can be difficult for some San Francisco residents to find healthy food in their own neighborhood, you might be surprised to learn that the very people who pick our produce also have trouble finding healthy food to eat. Anthropologist and physician Seth Holmes spent five years in the fields living in labor camps, picking fruit, and crossing the border with migrant workers in order to learn more about what challenges they face. He documented his experiences in his book Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies to get a better insight into our food and health care system. 

SETH HOLMES: We don’t value very much the people who are providing us with the very food that helps us live and be healthy.

Click the audio player above to listen to the entire interview.

For more information about the book, click here: Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies

Crosscurrents
Ben joined KALW in 2004. As Executive News Editor and then News Director, he helped the news department win numerous regional and national awards for long- and short-form journalism. He also helped teach hundreds of audio producers, many of whom work with him at KALW, today.