I AM Genoveva Martinez, a wife, mother of 5, and grandmother of 10 grandchildren. I have worked at MHP Salud for the past 30 years. I started as a Camp Health Aide (CHA) in 1985, when I lived at a migrant camp in Michigan. My family migrated and worked the fields picking crops from around March or April until late October. We took these trips back and forth for 25 years with challenges and barriers related to housing or crops destroyed by weather. In the beginning, we moved with the crops, but in 1975, we found a good farmer who gave us work and housing for 20 years.

In 1985, Sister Donna Zetah recruited CHAs or community health workers (CHWs) to work with the migrant health center. I was well-known in the camp since I was the only English-speaking adult, and people would come to me for assistance. She was given my name by people who lived in the first cabin. I had been in the area for a long time and knew the resources that were available, and I had a good relationship with the grower. It was easy for me to give the migrants information on where to go for help.

Sr Donna recruited 6 CHWs in the area and trained us on health topics that were appropriate to migrant farmworkers, such as communication, confidentiality, pesticides, nutrition, diabetes, and water sanitation. She also instructed us to document participant information on the program forms. I felt good learning about the health topics. It gave me knowledge that I applied to my family's well-being.

I was learning new skills that helped me become a resourceful CHW-skills that would make me a better mother and advocate. I learned to stand in front of a group and talk about sensitive issues that might be taboo in our culture; I understood what issues would be accepted and not accepted. First, I had to develop and nurture relationships that would lead to trust, and good communication-not just talking but listening-was one. These skills are of utmost importance to be a CHW. Another strong factor is being part of the community because it gave me the ability to be accessible and stay current with networks, collaborations, and coalitions, and have strong advocacy skills.

While I lived at the migrant camp, I encountered several situations where I was able to use these skills to make a difference. The camp was far away from the town, and transportation was needed to get there. A woman got very sick and had to have emergency surgery. I went to the hospital to translate and support her. Her husband could not go-he had to work and care for their 3 children. When she was discharged from the hospital, she needed follow-up care because her wound was not completely healed and dressing needed to be changed. Although I was scared she might get hurt or an infection, I would go change her dressing twice a day. The wound healed very well, and I felt good knowing that I was able to provide support and assistance to her. Being isolated in a migrant labor camp was not easy, and it was that much more difficult when medical assistance was needed.

There was a migrant camp situated in the middle of apple orchards in Michigan. It had 21 cabins in the camp, and there were many children. They would be outside playing, and I could hear them running, riding their bicycles, and just having fun. One Sunday, there was an accident, and it involved a young boy whose nickname was Polo. He was riding his bicycle and had stopped to observe some men who were fixing a car raised on a ramp. When one of the men working on the car went to press on the brakes, he accidently hit the gas pedal instead. Polo was standing between the car being repaired and another vehicle. He was pinned between the 2 cars with his legs caught, and he was bleeding. Instead of calling 911, the parents drove him to the hospital. When they got there, no one could speak Spanish. I was called to translate. I tried to calm the parents, but they were frantic and scared. Polo was in surgery for about 6 hours. The doctor came out a few times to talk to the parents about what was happening. It was the hardest thing to tell the parents that Polo might lose his legs. We were there all night. In the early hours of the morning, Polo went to recovery. He did not lose his legs but faced many challenges as he grew up. I felt happy to have been there for this family who did not know the language and understand the system.

After this accident, we talked to parents and children about safety in the camp. We did not want to have another preventable accident. This included leaving dangerous things outside where the children played, such as old refrigerators or car batteries. After the accident, the mechanics did not do repairs in the camp. I am happy to say there was never another accident in the camp.

Looking back, I realize that a CHW is about being able to make a difference in the community and promote healthy lifestyles. Being a CHW is also about caring how our communities can be a cleaner and safer place for future generations.

A CHW is someone special. I lived in similar situations where the support of a CHW would have made my life better. To do a better job as a CHW, it is important to have support, recognition, and, most essentially, compensation. Recognition means that the role of a CHW is valued. Community Health Workers can become team members with other health providers and professionals because we are well trained in diverse areas like health topics, community engagement, navigating the health system, and we have other roles are important to the community. We are a workforce, and we are being noticed.

Looking forward, I hope to see the CHW profession grow. But to grow, CHWs need to have support, fair pay, and recognition. Recognition means that the role of a CHW is valued by other health care professionals. Community Health Workers understand their communities in a way that others may not be able to-not only because we speak the same language or come from the same culture, but because we have lived through similar experiences as the people we are trying to serve. Because of this, adding CHWs to the health care team can give patients a more complete understanding of the system and improve their experience of care. I know that my story is just one of many; there are so many CHWs out there making a difference every day. I hope one day everyone will see and understand the importance of the work that CHWs do for the community.