Excerpt from June 24 staff newsletter

The fearless leader speaks. Sporting one of the many pieces of clothing that have been donated to the program this summer, Joe ponders if the OSY staff should dress a little more professionally. Considering the fact that it was about 100 degrees when this photo was taken, a decision was made. Shorts and T-shirts are required.

Let me know if there is something that we are doing well, or doing poorly, or not doing at all. As you know, each night we go into the camps, you never know what to expect. I do think that we are doing a good job and helping people who are in some difficult circumstances. I do admit that for the first time since I began working in the migrant program, I have let the human need get to me. When Sharon, Nick, Ana, and I went into casa blanca last week and saw the room that Carlito with living in with his mother, father, older sister, and newborn sister, my heart ached. I wanted to fix all of their problems. While I think it’s important to care, it can be dangerous because it can lead to burnout. I try to remind myself that we cannot fix all of the problems that we encounter, and that if we help just a few people then we at least are moving in the right direction.  What are your thoughts on feelings on this? . . .

It’s always a great event [ the annual migrant festival] even though I’m still waiting for the mariachi band. I will be there in the morning, but will leave in the afternoon with Bruce Wright (state recruiter) to help him and a group of evaluators from NC to reinterview 25 of the migrants we have filled out a COE on. I will be with Nick and Bruce tonight as well to complete the reinterview process.

Basically, the feds pull a random selection of COEs from throughout the state and then talk to the migrant worker (or the parents of a child) in person to make sure that they do indeed exist and that we haven’t made them up in order to receive federal funds. Believe it or not, but this used to be common practice throughout the USA several years ago. Fortunately, the reinterview process has really cut down the number of fake COEs. I can assure you that we have never created people who do not exist. I do not look good wearing all orange. Nor do I like confined spaces.