2005 ONPA Pictures of the Year

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Before the workday begins, exhaust trails from an airplane mark the skies as the sun rises over Royer camp. Nearly 300 migrants live in housing camps on the perimeter of the K.W. Zellers and Son family farm. Over the past 10 years, the returning workers and their families have established their own community on the 600-acre farm.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Ruben Balderas looks toward the fields at sunrise while waiting for the work bus to take him to the fields. The foreman for each crew travels to the camps to gather the workers before stopping at the washhouse for supplies and their harvest orders.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Migrant women wait for the daycare bus to collect their children before their work vans take them into the fields. Daycare is provided in Hartville by the Texas Migrant Head Start program. The availability of quality daycare allows more families to become established in Hartville.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Foreman and drivers share an inside joke after receiving their harvest orders from grower David Zellers. It’s been a good year for the crops. This may mean longer hours for the workers, but it’s also an opportunity to make money.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

A cutting crew begins work harvesting an assigned section of the farm at daybreak. The foreman on the far left oversees the harvest while another worker distributes crates to the workers in the rows.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Migrant workers move crates from the trucks to the fields. They will then be packed with fresh lettuce, and placed back on the truck for delivery. Because lettuce can wilt in the summer sun, the filled crates are quickly delivered to the washhouse where they are cleaned, cooled and placed in cold storage.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

A worker cuts parsley and bunches them by pulling rubber bands from his fingers and, in a twisting motion, ties them together. This happens quickly and in a fluid motion as he works his way down the rows. The quicker he harvests, the more money he can make.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Beatrice Gutierrez blocks rows of leaf lettuce on the Zellers farm. One of the migrant housing facilities, available to those who work on the farm, is in the background. Blocking is a form of upright weeding. As the worker walks between the rows of vegetables, weeds and weaker plants are removed.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

The serene beauty of the mature onion fields prior to harvest becomes an array of scattered green and white as the remains of onions blanket the soil. As the workers harvest the onions, the pungent smell fills the air during a morning harvest. Onions are not only harvested by hand, but the outer layers are also removed in the fields before they are bunched and placed in plastic crates.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Workers return to their bus after weeding by hand and using pails to discard what is removed from the rows. The largest of the crew’s vehicles, the work bus is adorned with stickers and painted statements from previous crews, including the statement about Jesus. Strategically placed, each worker can see it as they exit the bus.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Migrants harvest radishes on a rainy morning. Each year, about 80 percent of the workers return to Hartville, Ohio, and they are re-hired for the season. They are drawn to the Hartville farms, in part, because of the rich black muck soil and the bountiful harvests it offers. This provides steady work and a more profitable season for the migrants.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Mariana Delgado and others in her crew rush to complete an order as heavy rains and hail replace the hot, dry weather that lasted nearly two weeks. Enduring extreme weather conditions are a part of farming and a reality for migrant workers.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

During a late afternoon break, workers find the shade from their bus the only source of relief from the heat and humidity of a mid-summer day. Because of the darkness of the soil, the heat in the fields is usually greater than the forecasted conditions.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Workers wait inside a work van while the foreman visits the washhouse. Their cowboy hats are visible through the grids in the windows. Though most women prefer straw hats with bows, some men choose cowboy hats while working in the fields.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

A worker is brought from the field and tested for tuberculosis. Because of the community health issues associated with tuberculosis, all workers are tested.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Bacteria infected and damaged Alfonso Melendez's lung. Surgery was required to remove part of his lung. Dr. Teresa Wurst, a volunteer doctor at the Hartville Migrant Health Clinic and other physicians from Aultman Hospital, detected the problem and helped him throughout the surgery and his recovery. He believes she saved his life.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Beatrice Gutierrez makes travel plans from a phone booth near her home. Most of the homes in the camps do not have individual bathroom facilities or phones. Workers share these facilities from a central location in each camp.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Migrant women start early as the warm glow of the rising sun greets them while doing laundry in Chapman camp. The outdoor wash area behind the shared bathroom facility is an active place as women care for children and wash clothes prior to preparing food for the noon lunch break. It is the only time when migrants return from the fields during the workday.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Wet pants, cold air and the morning sun create steam as the backlit pants glow against the shaded wall of a garage near Chapman Camp.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Christian Vela, Jose Medina and Erik Flores participate in a team-building exercise during a day trip. Vela, in the front, listens attentively to the instructions of the camp leader.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Jesus Paez works on math problems during a special summer session at Marlboro Elementary School near Alliance, Ohio. Migrant children are able to attend summer school because of special state funding. If it weren’t for the funding, children wouldn’t have the educational opportunities that help bridge the gap between their migrating lifestyle and school cycles.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Atalya Garcia is asked by a classmate if she attended a different school last year as children get to know each other during a get acquainted exercise on the first day of school at Marlboro Elementary School near Alliance, Ohio. Attending different schools is a common experience for migrant children.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

While passing the farm field after returning from a day trip on a particularly hot day, Jasmine Mata, Melissa Mata, Georgina Soto and Maria Delgado are sprayed by an irrigation hose. The bus driver noticed that the hose had been placed close to the road and she pulled over so that the children could enjoy a cool spray.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Still in her hospital gown, Erika Contreras, places her newborn daughter, Vanessa into her crib. Erika just returned from Aultman hospital. Vanessa is her first child. Children born to migrant families while working in the United States are automatically U.S. citizens.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

While San Juana Paez holds her son, Carlos, others in the church experience their own emotional release during a three-hour Pentecostal service at the Graber Chapel near the Zellers Farm. It is common for young children to be held by several adults during church services.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Cipriano Contreras plays pool behind his home in Warner camp. The pool table was purchased at a garage sale and was kept outside under plywood and plastic to protect it from the weather. Garage sales, discount stores and the weekly thrift sales at the Migrant Center are popular places for many in the migrant community to shop.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Dressed for the occasion, Juventino Delgado tells stories during a party. At such occasions, the men often break from the festivities to gather around their trucks, tell stories and listen to music.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Workers prepare the head of a goat for a Sunday barbeque that include the entire animal. The meat is covered in a spicy sauce served with peppers. It will provide food for two days. The men purchased the entire animal and butchered it into manageable sections so that it could fit in the cooker.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Wearing black pants and ostrich boots, a migrant worker strikes a familiar pose during a cookout with other crew members at Tope camp. The hose by his feet leads to the wash area where it is used to fill washing machines.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

After a passerby brings a variety of household items to the migrants in Royer camp, a migrant child breaks from a costume party to take a chair to her home. Occasionally, and often without notice, people will distribute clothes and household items to the migrants and to the Migrant Center.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Georgina Soto celebrates during her 12th birthday party. The party was held in an old garage near their home. The Soto family was one of the first Latino families to become established on the Zellers Family Farm.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Jasmine Mata waits patiently while her sister, Melissa, gets ready for their first communion. While the children were preparing for their big day, their grandfather was preparing his van for a cross-country trip to Texas. His work on the farm was done, but he stayed for their communion.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

During a humorous moment, a guest pays to dance with Roberto DeLeon during the reception that followed Roberto’s marriage to Erica Contreras at St. Bernard’s Church in Akron. During the traditional money dance, money is pinned to the bride and groom before guests get to dance with them.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Amidst the loud music and swirling colored lights of a roller skating rink, a migrant child stops in the middle of the floor to tie her shoe while two other children hold hands as they attempt to keep their balance. Because of the migrant ministries bus and the volunteers who care for the children, educational opportunities and cultural experiences are now available to the children. Each trip offers approximately 40 children an opportunity for a shared experience, further bonding the small community. The venues do their part to support their efforts by offering special rates and times.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Carla Martinez and other migrant children visit a World War II museum in Canton, Ohio. They proceeded to remove uniforms from mannequins and began playing an unusual form of "dress-up". The curator was initially distressed over what was happening, but then recognized their innocence and the educational experience they were having. He allowed them to continue and later took a picture of the children for his scrapbook.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Guests at Maribel Diaz’s baby shower take their best guesses at the size of her expectant belly. Maribel gave birth to a baby boy a few weeks later.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Rafael Gutierrez introduces the newest member of the family, Rafael Jr., to his daughter Beatrice at Aultman Hospital in Canton. Beatrice gives a kiss to her baby brother while her sister, Nancy, waits her turn.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Still in her genie costume, a migrant child holds an American flag as she sits in the shade by a mobile home in Royer camp. She waits for her turn to participate in activities during a costume party.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

In an opportunity of a lifetime, Bishop John Manz celebrates mass on a basketball court near migrant housing on the Zellers Farm. Bishop Manz is the liaison to migrant ministries for the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

Mariano, Kaylee, Samantha, Monica and Ezequiel Delgado take advantage of a peaceful evening and go for a walk on a gravel road that borders the Brenckle and Zellers farms. Because the growers adhere to normal work hours, migrant parents have an opportunity to spend quality time with their children after a day in the fields.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

On the front porch of her home, May Nichols, who lives across the street from the Soto family, shares an affectionate moment with Brianna Soto. May considers Brianna her “Mexican granddaughter.” Over the years, the members of the migrant community have bonded with members of the Hartville community.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

A cold mid-October dawn will soon reveal the first frost of the season. The growers have advanced weather-detecting equipment and are already in the fields preparing to protect the more fragile vegetables from the damaging conditions. The Zellers commonly run water lines throughout the night to create a watery mist that helps to keep frost from forming on the crop. They make every effort to save their final crop of the season.

First place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Gary Harwood / Kent State University

The camps lay dormant during the winter months as the workers and their families continue their lives in the southern states and Mexico. The once vibrant neighborhood is now silent and empty.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

One of the last loads of Ford Econoline trucks leaves the Lorain Assembly Plant days before the plant closed.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

The Ford's Lorain Assembly plant on the day it closed.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Abandoned buildings line Broadway Ave., Lorain's main downtown street.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Tike Pruchinsky gets some love from his dog Apollo at his Camden Rd. home in Lorain. Tike's father-in-law is a UAW stewart at Ford's Avon plant. Tike drives a 1989 Ford F-150 that despite some rust still runs good. Ford's Lorain assembly plant plans to close doors for good by middle December 2005. Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Children play on a mound of dirt just south of 28th street in Lorain. In the background is Republic steel another industry in Lorain on its way out.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

A photograph of Lorain's Broadway Ave offers contrasting views.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Lorain appears dreary days before Christmas.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

A ford truck larger than the house behind it is a usual scene in Lorain.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

The executive committee of local 425 of the UAW pose for a portrait days before the closing of the Lorain Assembly Plant.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

A lone union member waits for a meeting at the union hall across the street from the Lorain Assembly Plant.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Big Mike Cumberland bought the truck he use to drive while working at the Lorain Assembly Plant. He has retired from Ford and uses the truck for his private business.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Herb Bennett did well at Ford. He was able to secure a nice home in Wellington. His son, Herb Bennett Jr. has not faired as well. He will be losing his job when the Lorain Assembly Plant closes.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Mary Ann McGee who has reitred from Ford holds a picture of her son who will lose his job in Lorain when the Lorain Assembly Plant closes.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Clyde Jackson is a retired ford worker from the Lorain Assembly Plant. He put in 35 years. He drives an 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

An overflow lot for Ford Econolines stands empty days before the closing of the Lorain Assembly Plant.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

One hope for Lorain's future is its Black River that empties into Lake Erie. Lorain has built expensive homes on the banks hoping to lure upper class homeowners to Lorain.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Lorain is known as the international city. It has a large population of eastern european immigrants.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Iconic images of Lorain including pickup trucks, firsherman, lighthouse and Lake Erie. Ford's Lorain assembly plant plans to close doors for good by middle December 200 which will surely affect Lorain's economy.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Part of Lorain's expansive high end housing project along the Black River in Lorain called Harbor Walk on The Black River as scene from the East boundary along Colorado Ave. in Lorain. Ford's Lorain assembly plant plans to close doors for good by middle December 2005.

Second Place, James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award - Mike Levy / The Plain Dealer

Lorain's international queens on display on Broadway Ave. in Lorain.