It’s a Saturday morning on a hot August day in Madera, California. Laura and her three sons—Emilio, 15; Kevin, 14; and Carlitos, 12—rush to load banquet tables, flower bouquets, and other decorations into a large truck. Today the family will decorate venues for two events and deliver Laura’s homemade desserts for a third client. "Today is a good day," Laura says aloud. 

Jose Eduardo is the AFSC Lovelace Fellow with the Pan Valley Institute. He has collaborated with PVI for over a decade to advocate for access to education, health care, workers' rights, and better living conditions for Central California residents.