Lee la versión en español aquí . Lilian Melgar Martínez started her day at 5 a.m.
to harvest tobacco and sweet potatoes in the fields of Duplin County in North Carolina. As temperatures sweltered and the work days stretched into night, sometimes she would faint. The demanding schedule was gradually taking a toll on her health as the relentless pressure from supervisors only intensified.
Tu guía esencial para Trabajadores Agrícolas en Carolina del Norte Tu guía esencial sobre Política e Inmigración en Carolina del Norte “They would say, ‘Hurry up, we need to finish,’” she recalled. “They said that the work had to be done, or else they would fire you.” Melgar Martínez has lived in the state for about 20 years, most of which has been as an agricultural worker.
Along with her husband and their children, the family has worked in the fields for years. Despite their critical role in an agriculture industry that generates over $70 billion annually in North Carolina , they have faced persistent barriers to essential healthcare services, including annual exams, vaccinations, and screenings for chronic conditions. Recibe gratis las noticias más importantes y de utilidad de Carolina del Norte directo en tu celular.
Haz preguntas y comentarios, y charla con nuestros periodistas. Visits to medical facilities were rare and often prompted only by urgent health crises, such as the fainting spells Melgar Martínez experienced. “In the clinics they would ask.