Hard Work and Heavy Lifting
A photo story from the Fences: Faces of Migration Photojournalism Workshop
“There was a chance to make life better for me and my family, so I took that chance,” says Baldomo, 31, of Mexico. Baldomo has crossed the border three times throughout his life. He first crossed when he was ten years old, all on his own.
“I found an opening in the desert, and I ran. I ran fast. [I] booked it with my bag of clothes,” says Baldomo.
He knew of a farm in Texas that he had found out about through a family friend. On his first time in the United States, Baldomo found that farm and asked them if they had any work for him. They said yes and took him in. Eventually, work on the farm started to slow down.
The family knew of a farm in Michigan ran by two men, Duane and Caz, that needed some help. They reached out to them and asked if Baldomo could come and help out. Duane and Caz said they could find something for the young man to do. Within one week, Baldomo made his way up to Michigan to meet his new bosses.
Duane and Caz took Baldomo under their wing from the first day he arrived. “They are both good people,” said Baldomo. “I consider them family when I’m away from my own.”
Baldomo lives with Caz, who treats Baldomo as if he were his son. Caz buys the groceries for the two of them and cooks their meals. All Baldomo has to do is vacuum and wash the dishes. He does not charge Baldomo rent.
There’s not much for Baldomo to do in Michigan other than work. He gets out of the house and away from the farm about two times a month - one of those trips is to Walmart for groceries and other necessities.
Baldomo wakes up at 4:30 a.m. every morning to do a simple workout in his bedroom, and continues his workout as he completes tasks on the farm. In between pushing feed and treating the steers with vaccinations, Baldomo does pull-ups, lifts weights, and uses the gates around the steer pens to do sit-ups. After work, he also works out some more in his basement at home.
“I miss my family, but I’m making money here to support them and myself. The work here pays more and is less labor intensive than the work in Mexico,” said Baldomo. He plans to go back to his family and friends in Mexico within the next three to four years.
Photos and Story by Sarah Muether
