For decades, my family has worked and lived in the fields of California, deeply connected to the land that sustains us. But that same land, poisoned by agricultural pesticides, has also exposed us to invisible threats. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer—becoming the sixth of her nine siblings to face a diagnosis—I was forced to reevaluate what I had long accepted as normal.

This personal reflection explores the intersection of environmental justice and public health, revealing the systemic inequalities that leave Mexican farmworkers and communities vulnerable. As the backbone of the agricultural industry, we endure the harsh reality of a system that prioritizes profit over people—a poignant reminder that if you bite the hand that feeds you, soon, there will be nothing left to eat.