Yolo County honors legacy of Mexican "braceros" and their descendants
WOODLAND — A first-of-its-kind Yolo County exhibit Tuesday honored the legacy of the Bracero Program which first started in 1942 but was ended in 1964, 60 years ago this month.
Millions of Mexican farmworkers were allowed to work legally in the United States on short-term labor contracts under the program. The men helped sustain the nation's economy during World War II.
"California is the state with the largest number of braceros," said exhibit organizer Dr. Melissa Moreno.
Moreno teamed up with other local agencies and the county board of supervisors to help make sure their contributions are never forgotten.
An estimated 10,000, and possibly more, braceros arrived in Yolo County. At one point, it was home to most of the migrant workers in the state.
"I think it's important for members of immigrant communities to remember that they have been part of the significant contributions to the nation," said Moreno.
Moreno not only helped organize the exhibit, but she sees herself in it too.
"This is my grandfather and my father," said Moreno, showing CBS13 her family's photos depicting the two generations of braceros.
Moreno set out to find other local descendants.
"It's really been the work of families and community members to keep this history alive," said Moreno.
During WWII, Japanese farmworkers in Northern California were sent to internment camps. It left a massive hole that these migrants filled.
However, they suffered harsh conditions, family separation and low wages.
"I want people to understand that this is a complex history with nuances. It's not just a romanticized history," said Moreno.
After the program ended in 1964, some Braceros stayed with expired permits and later applied for residency in the 1980s.
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a resolution Tuesday morning honoring the bracero legacy and their sons, daughters and grandchildren still living here today.
"They are now in elected office, contributing to the community in education, all these fields. It's so important to recognize that program but share the legacy of what that program did for Yolo County," said Supervisor Lucas Frerichs.
Supervisor Angel Barajas had bracero family members himself.
"Many of us are actually leaders in our own communities, hard-working families and part of the American fabric now," said Barajas.
These migrant workers helped build what would become a Yolo County agricultural economy worth billions of dollars, Barajas added.
To this day, their faces and stories are never forgotten.
Marcus Navarette did not know that a photo of his great-great-grandmother existed until he saw her in this exhibit, honoring the Tafoyas.
The Tafoya market is believed to have been the first Mexican-owned market in Yolo County and contracted bracero workers.
"Without these people, we wouldn't have been able to live here, be educated. I wouldn't have been here," said Navarette.
It is history that is often overlooked and a legacy that has grown well beyond the fields, forging futures in Yolo County.
The exhibit was only open for one day but leaders are working to get the display into local schools next year.
The event was organized by the Ethnic Studies YOLO Academy in partnership with Supervisor Lucas Frerichs, Supervisor Angel Barajas, the Mexican Yolo Concilio and the Yolo County Archives.