Dry Wells in California – In the San Joaquin Valley, in the agricultural heart of California, the drought is leaving hundreds of families without water. Neighbors are helping each other out, sharing the little water that is left in their wells. Many people don’t have the money to drill deeper wells. Now, these residents are organizing to find a more sustainable way to provide water to everyone. Juan Santiago visited the tiny community of Monson, where several families have had their wells run dry.
Schools in Alabama Block Immigrant Children – Hundreds of families in Alabama have reported problems when registering their children for school. According to reports by civil rights organizations, a large number of school districts in the state asked immigrant parents for their children’s social security numbers or U.S. birth certificates, in violation of federal law. In a special program broadcast in collaboration between Radio Bilingüe and Radio La Jefa in Birmingham, Alabama, we spoke with Marisol Aguilar, a mother who has had trouble registering her daughter in high school. This is a segment of the conversation.
Voy Contratado: Stories of Abuse and Struggle – According to reports of several immigrant rights organizations, guest workers who arrive in the United States with H2A or H2B visas often make lower-than-minimum wages, get paid for fewer hours than those worked, or are refused overtime pay. After many years of complaints, the U.S. Department of Labor is organizing a series of trainings to inform workers of their rights. Our producer Delia Saldívar hosted a show on Radio Bilingüe’s Comunidad Alerta to talk about the issue. Rubén Tapia prepared the report.
