State of Union Response – Monica Ramirez / Justice for Migrant Women
Response to the State of the Union by Mónica Ramírez on Behalf of Justice for Migrant Women
FREMONT, Ohio — “Today, two years into a global pandemic and amidst Women’s History Month, I remind Congress and the Administration: There cannot be a unity agenda without centering migrant women. I am from Fremont, Ohio, not too far from the empty acres of land that President Biden called a “Field of Dreams.” My family settled in this area after following the crops for many years. For them, fields represent something more than just their dreams. Fields across Ohio are places where they poured their hearts and energy to feed the country, while experiencing injustice due to their race, gender and for some, their immigration status.
“The state of the union cannot truthfully be evaluated without considering the state of migrant women, including those who live in rural America. For the hundreds of thousands of farmworker women and children in the United States, and millions of other migrant women workers, the state of the union has not changed. Migrant women have always shown up to serve our communities. Migrant women continue to keep us fed, safe and healthy at the expense of their own mental and physical health.
“The problems facing migrant women workers are grounded in their systemic lack of power in the U.S. economy overlaid with the discriminatory racist and sexist policies and practices that deny migrant workers their rights and limit their access to health care, educational opportunities, child care and legal services.
“The United States remains a country that lacks policies to protect them, whether that’s while crossing borders, showing up to work or taking care of their families. But President Biden made clear last night: it is possible to change this. Political leaders have the power to provide a pathway to citizenship for essential workers, enact and enforce policies that close the wage gap, and invest in infrastructure that prioritizes the care of our families and the mental health of ourselves and loved ones. Political leaders at all levels must listen to and take direction from the people they serve, including creating policies that embrace and uplift everyday people.
“I am hopeful today first and foremost because of the migrant women across our country who have been organizing for change and supporting one another when the government fails to act. I am also hopeful because building a better America is within reach if we listen to those who are most deeply impacted by the broken systems. Progress has been made, but many problems still exist. The government and our political leaders have the power to change things. We are calling on them to do so.
“We need all of our political leaders to act now. Not because we need saving, but because migrant women are already many steps ahead and it is time for policies to align with their leadership in communities across the country,” Mónica Ramírez, Founder and President of Justice for Migrant Women.