Will COVID-19 Finally Convince Us to Do Better by Farmworkers?

The Current Crisis, and Longstanding Conditions, Argue for Enforcing Laws and Offering Better Protections—From Face Masks to Retirement Accounts

In California, the COVID-19 shutdown coincided with the lettuce season in the small Fresno County town of Huron. Its mayor, Rey León, has since been struggling to convey shifting safety guidelines to the people of his small town. He’s had to get creative, cruising around town with a bullhorn, and putting bilingual fliers on windshields, as if he were promoting a party. Except these fliers say things like: “Wash your hands for 20 seconds.”

“I try to make it culturally relevant,” León said while answering a question from an audience member …