Miguel R. Velázquez was a migrant farmworker in Washington state. Originally from Mexico, Miguel came to the U.S. through the Bracero Workers Program and later became a permanent resident to help build a better life for his family in America. 

 

Miguel dropped out of high school to begin working in the fields to help his family, first in Mexico, and then as a young adult, he moved to work across the U.S. as migrant farmworker.  Miguel knew getting an education was the key for individuals to get out of poverty, however, Miguel was far too poor to be able to put himself through school and therefore made it his life’s mission to ensure his children received a higher education to be able to build a better life in America.

 

But he didn’t stop there, outside of working the apple and cherry orchards of North Central Washington, he volunteered his time with countless organizations throughout Washington to promote education reform, fair pay for migrant workers and access to a dignified work environment for the migrant community. In addition, through the organizations he volunteered with, he completed home visits to encourage migrant parents to keep their children in school and establish a plan to college. Throughout his time volunteering he was also asked to be a guest speaker at national conventions where he was able to present his own work he composed as a writer and poet.

 

Miguel, by definition, was an intellectual and loved reading and creative writing, specifically composing poems regarding education. He leaves behind stacks of writings that his family is now looking to publish. Sadly, in 2012, Miguel lost his life to pancreatic cancer.

 

However, with Miguel's extraordinary ability to inspire change, his family created, the Miguel R Velázquez Migrant Education Foundation, to continue his legacy to help increase access to higher education for the migrant farmworker community and bring awareness to the issues effecting this vulnerable population. 

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