Chris Schneider Photos' photostream  

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Uploaded on Oct 5, 2008

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Fair Time

Ride at Fresno County fair.

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Uploaded on Oct 4, 2008

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Dancers at the Guelaguetza 2008 in Fresno, California., USA.

For each of the past 10 years the Frente Indigina de Organizaciones Bi-nacionales (FIOB) has organized a Guelaguetza in Fresno, California. The Guelguetza is a traditional celbbration in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The central valley is home to thousands of Oaxacan immigrants, many of whom left Oaxaca due to the extreme poverty. A significant percentage of the farm labor force in California's agriculturally rich central valley are from Oaxaca. They harvest crops under the blistering hot sun for minimum wage (assuming the labor contractor actually pays them--a big assumption) and usually no benefits. Their back breaking work feeds the nation and the world.

The FIOB's Guelaguetza allows the workers and their families a brief respite from the arduous work in the fields. It gives the adults a chance to recall home and the children an opportunity to learn more about their culture. The FIOB also takes the opportunity to provide information about workers rights, access to health care and other issues important to the community.

And for photographers it provides a smorgasboard of color. It is one of my favorite events each year. In this set I present a few of the pictures I took this year. I hope you enjoy them.

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Uploaded on Oct 3, 2008

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Scarf

Dancers at the Guelaguetza 2008 in Fresno, California., USA.

For each of the past 10 years the Frente Indigina de Organizaciones Bi-nacionales (FIOB) has organized a Guelaguetza in Fresno, California. The Guelguetza is a traditional celbbration in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The central valley is home to thousands of Oaxacan immigrants, many of whom left Oaxaca due to the extreme poverty. A significant percentage of the farm labor force in California's agriculturally rich central valley are from Oaxaca. They harvest crops under the blistering hot sun for minimum wage (assuming the labor contractor actually pays them--a big assumption) and usually no benefits. Their back breaking work feeds the nation and the world.

The FIOB's Guelaguetza allows the workers and their families a brief respite from the arduous work in the fields. It gives the adults a chance to recall home and the children an opportunity to learn more about their culture. The FIOB also takes the opportunity to provide information about workers rights, access to health care and other issues important to the community.

And for photographers it provides a smorgasboard of color. It is one of my favorite events each year. In this set I present a few of the pictures I took this year. I hope you enjoy them.

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Uploaded on Oct 3, 2008

2 comments