Jesus Campoya Calderon was one of the Mexican farm workers called the braceros who came to the United States to find work in better paying jobs than were available in Mexico. The braceros had to go to Chihuahua City to sign a contract in order to work in the United States. Calderon and the other braceros had to go to the “trocadero” which was run by American officers. There they had an intial interview, a second, more detailed interview about work experience, and then they were sent to sign a contract and have their picture taken. After this process, the braceros were taken to the border of Mexico and the United States.
Calderon and his fellow braceros had to wait for a few days before the immigration office approved their permits. Then they were taken to the El Paso Lower Valley. There they were sprayed with white powder to “kill the Mexican fleas” according to the officials in charge. They were then given bread and bologna, the first food they’d been given in days. Later on, farmers came to select workers they wanted for their farms.
Even though their permits said they were cotton pickers, the braceros did many other jobs on the farm in the evenings and on Sundays. They were only paid for the work they did in the fields, however. Once a week they were taken to the “big town” to buy groceries and other items. Many people also sent money back home to their families. Calderon recalls, "Because I did not trust the bank, I saved all my money myself. I worked four months, seven days a week, at least 12 hours every day and I took home almost $300 dollars."
Story from The Farmworker's Website
Migrations
Animal 
Human 
Dance/Art