Life as a seasonal worker

An intimate photojournalism project sheds light on the lives behind a politically divisive issue

Season of Sacrifice
(Image credit: Kim Raff)

In the early 2000s, Martin and Ramon Alvarez Avalos were living in a small town near Guanajuato, Mexico, precariously hanging onto lower-middle-class status. Ramon's daughter had just started college, putting an even tougher strain on the family.

Meanwhile, more than 3,000 miles north, in Forest, Va., David St. John was desperately trying to woo workers to join his construction company, Mays Bros, Inc. But it was summer and no one would bite.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Sarah Eberspacher

Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.