The heroes of the pandemic:
“When the world is burning,
I must put out the fire”
At the peak of the pandemic, nearly half of positive covid-19 cases in North Carolina were among Latinos, despite just being 9.6% of the population. In the absence of adequate state or federal support, a group of Latina doctors and activists is taking the community’s health into their own hands. Produced with journalist and filmmaker Victoria Bouloubasis.
Role: Co-director, co-producer, cinematographer and editor
Almost half of Siler City, N.C.’s population is Latino. The town is also home to Mountaire Farms poultry plant, where workers are majority Latino. The zip code is among the highest in the state for covid-19 cases among Latinos. Jose Rodriguez, a plant worker, takes extra precautions with his family while at home. N.C. leads the nation in poultry plant outbreaks, though the state health department will not release data with company names and locations.
At mobile home parks and churches throughout Durham and Raleigh, N.C., volunteers offer mutual aid and represent the same community they serve, including undocumented mothers and fathers, immigrant children and queer Latinx.
A box of tomatillos at a food distribution site represents a culturally appropriate model for emergency aid. La Semilla has delivered at least 30,000 pounds of healthy food throughout the pandemic to Latino neighborhoods, filled with seasonal produce like squash, tomatoes and tropical fruits and trays of meals prepared by chefs. The food comes from partnerships with existing local food banks, catering companies and farm networks.