PRESS RELEASE: NC FIELD hires former child farmworker as new Executive Director
20 September 2019
NC FIELD Executive Director 2019, Yesenia Cuello.
Kinston, NC -- The NC FIELD board of directors has announced the appointment of Yesenia Cuello as the Executive Director at NC FIELD, Inc., an organization that focuses on increasing education, leadership and dignity of children in the agricultural worker community in Lenoir and surrounding counties.
Yesenia succeeds Yessy Bustos, a former Student Action with Farmworkers intern, and Executive Director from 2015 until 2018. Yesenia's journey began as a child tobacco worker at age fourteen. Later she joined Poder Juvenil Campesino, NC FIELD's advocacy youth group. During Yesenia's tenure as a youth president, popular educator, board member, and program manager the organization has maintained a 89% high school graduation rate and a 47% college attendance rate.
Yesenia is a professional organizer and activist with a proven track record of impacting federal legislation to protect child tobacco workers; has successfully designed and implemented a youth engagement framework for child agricultural workers, and is familiar with grant outcomes and foundations supporting this work.
NC FIELD, Inc. made the decision to hire Yesenia to lead its capacity building projects in agricultural worker health and safety; high school graduation and college attendance; and the formation of a museum of agricultural worker history.
Yesenia is an accomplished speaker and has been interviewed regularly by national media. She has also assisted with research projects involving child safety and agricultural worker health.
Please welcome us in congratulating Yesenia Cuello on her appointment as Executive Director. NC FIELD is elated to be under the leadership of such a dynamic and impressive director!
Yesenia succeeds Yessy Bustos, a former Student Action with Farmworkers intern, and Executive Director from 2015 until 2018. Yesenia's journey began as a child tobacco worker at age fourteen. Later she joined Poder Juvenil Campesino, NC FIELD's advocacy youth group. During Yesenia's tenure as a youth president, popular educator, board member, and program manager the organization has maintained a 89% high school graduation rate and a 47% college attendance rate.
Yesenia is a professional organizer and activist with a proven track record of impacting federal legislation to protect child tobacco workers; has successfully designed and implemented a youth engagement framework for child agricultural workers, and is familiar with grant outcomes and foundations supporting this work.
NC FIELD, Inc. made the decision to hire Yesenia to lead its capacity building projects in agricultural worker health and safety; high school graduation and college attendance; and the formation of a museum of agricultural worker history.
Yesenia is an accomplished speaker and has been interviewed regularly by national media. She has also assisted with research projects involving child safety and agricultural worker health.
Please welcome us in congratulating Yesenia Cuello on her appointment as Executive Director. NC FIELD is elated to be under the leadership of such a dynamic and impressive director!
NC FIELD and PJC have helped bring the stories of migrant farmworkers to the greater public.
Below is a selection of interviews, reports and documentaries made possible by NC FIELD, PJC and their community.
Human Rights Watch Follow-Up Report:
July 2015 NC FIELD hosted Human Rights Watch for their follow-up report on Teens in Tobacco Fields. Human Rights
July 2015 NC FIELD hosted Human Rights Watch for their follow-up report on Teens in Tobacco Fields. Human Rights
NC FIELD community members were interviewed for a New York Times article on child labor in tobacco. Read the article HERE
The Daily Show's Samantha Bee interviewing PJC members.
Click here to See PJC on the Daily Show
NC FIELD Press Release May 14th, 2014
Photo by José Rosa Serrano
NC FIELD in print:
Gabriel Thompson’s article on child labor in tobacco published in The Nation:
http://www.thenation.com/article/177136/why-are-children-working-american-tobacco-fields
Insightful perspectives by Victoria Bouloubasis about child labor and sexual abuse:
http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/photo-exhibit-shows-a-hidden-labor-force-ncs-child-farmworkers/Content?oid=2946585
http://www.indyweek.com/BigBite/archives/2012/05/16/new-report-highlights-sexual-abuse-targeting-farmworkers-including-in-north-carolina
The New York Times' Erick Ekholm explores child labor:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/19/us/19migrant.html
PJC youth speak about Deferred Action:
http://charlotte.quepasanoticias.com/noticias/inmigracion/accion-diferida/91837-del-campo-a-la-universidad
A Spanish language article exploring the contradictions of US agricultural laws:
http://laconexionusa.com/content/sin-cambios-en-leyes-que-supervisan-trabajo-infantil-en-campos-de-carolina-del-norte
Gabriel Thompson’s article on child labor in tobacco published in The Nation:
http://www.thenation.com/article/177136/why-are-children-working-american-tobacco-fields
Insightful perspectives by Victoria Bouloubasis about child labor and sexual abuse:
http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/photo-exhibit-shows-a-hidden-labor-force-ncs-child-farmworkers/Content?oid=2946585
http://www.indyweek.com/BigBite/archives/2012/05/16/new-report-highlights-sexual-abuse-targeting-farmworkers-including-in-north-carolina
The New York Times' Erick Ekholm explores child labor:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/19/us/19migrant.html
PJC youth speak about Deferred Action:
http://charlotte.quepasanoticias.com/noticias/inmigracion/accion-diferida/91837-del-campo-a-la-universidad
A Spanish language article exploring the contradictions of US agricultural laws:
http://laconexionusa.com/content/sin-cambios-en-leyes-que-supervisan-trabajo-infantil-en-campos-de-carolina-del-norte
Photo by Peter Eversoll
Documentaries and television:
"Condemned Children" by Hubert Dubois was screened at the UN International Labor Organization in Geneva in recognition of World End Child Labor Day, June 12, 2012. NC FIELD participated with the segment about child labor in the United States.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhIMfN7K1y8
Bruce Orenstein's students at Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies students video series on farmworker conditions and child labor:
http://www.cdsporch.org/archives/10920
"Overworked and Under Spray", a short about the effects of pesticides on farmworkers was made by Toxic Free NC and SAF interns.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq38s5IBMmg_
"Condemned Children" by Hubert Dubois was screened at the UN International Labor Organization in Geneva in recognition of World End Child Labor Day, June 12, 2012. NC FIELD participated with the segment about child labor in the United States.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhIMfN7K1y8
Bruce Orenstein's students at Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies students video series on farmworker conditions and child labor:
http://www.cdsporch.org/archives/10920
"Overworked and Under Spray", a short about the effects of pesticides on farmworkers was made by Toxic Free NC and SAF interns.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq38s5IBMmg_