¡Hola!

I'm Devereaux Swaim and I recently graduated from Wake Forest University with a bachelor's degree in Biology. I hope to ultimately pursue a career in nursing, but in the meantime, I am thrilled to announce that I have been chosen as a fellow for Sowing Seeds for Change through an organization called Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF)! The fellowship is an incredible opportunity for me to get some healthcare experience while putting my Spanish skills to use. Additionally, it will give me a behind-the-scenes view of the agricultural industry and allow me to become familiar with some of the social justice issues that farmworkers face. 

As a Sowing Seeds for Change fellow, I will be living in Cullowhee North Carolina from June to November and working with an organization called Vecinos, Inc. My duties will include outreach to migrant camps to educate farmworkers about health issues relevant to their communities, initiating dialogue among workers to help them devise solutions to the issues affecting their communities, helping farmworkers develop an action plan for addressing their shared health concerns, and raising awareness in the general population about the origins of our food and the injustices faced by many of those who help get the food to our tables. Additionally, I will provide patient transportation to health clinics, serving as an advocate for the farmworkers and interpreting when needed.

If you’d like to read about all of the incredible things Vecinos does, additional information can be found on their website (http://www.vecinosinc.org/).

Although SSC fellows receive a stipend to cover housing and other expenses incurred over the six-month period, I am required to participate in a fundraising campaign between now and then. The money I raise will help SAF continue to offer farmworkers access to healthcare and health education, educate the general public about the issues farmworkers face, and give recent college graduates like me the opportunity to begin a lifelong commitment to an important cause.    

I’d really love to reach my goal by Easter Sunday (April 20th), and I’m hoping you can help me!

Student Action with Farmworkers has given me this unbelievable chance to get involved in helping others, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without your love and support. I’m grateful for my caring friends and family, and I look forward to telling you all about my experience as an SSC fellow! 

Con todo mi cariño, 
Devereaux Swaim