In this episode of Temperature Check: Coastal Edition, host Natalia Sanchez Loayza takes us on a journey into the heart of rural North Carolina alongside Jeanette Tapia, outreach coordinator for the North Carolina Farmworkers Project in Harnett County. We spend the day in the field witnessing firsthand the dedication and determination of a team working to protect the health of the state’s most vulnerable labor force: farm workers.
With more than two decades of experience and deep roots in her community, Tapia has helped shape a mobile health system that reaches thousands of agricultural laborers across five counties. Whether it’s transporting a patient to a dentist visit, checking blood pressure on the roadside, or translating storm alerts into Spanish over WhatsApp, Tapia and her team are redefining what community health looks like under extreme circumstances.
As we ride along for a Wednesday outreach shift, we witness the effects of long droughts followed by sudden storms—weather patterns intensified by climate change—on both crops and the workers’ physical and mental health. The team faces all-too-familiar barriers: fear of employers, cultural stigma, lack of transportation, and language obstacles. Still, they persist, carrying water, medical tools, and boundless patience as they crisscross dusty fields and rural backroads.
Tapia emphasizes that these workers are not victims. They are resilient, resourceful, and wise. But they are also at risk. Rising heat, pesticide exposure, green tobacco sickness, and chronic illness all converge in the fields. “If you don’t have health, you don’t have work,” Tapia reminds each person she meets.
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