Story by Venancio Hernandez

Photos of Venancio and Family below

"I was born May 18, 1955 in a small village of Michoacan, Mexico. I didn't have much education for the fact that it was hard in those days. I grew up in Michoacan till 1973 when at the age of 17 I came to the U.S. to a town named Malin, Oregon. I started working on the Fotheringham farm as an irrigator and tractor driver in Merrill, Oregon. 

When I started working I was very ambushes to drive operating machinery. A cousin of mine gave me the opportunity and taught me how it was done. I worked for that company till 1977. At the end of that year I went back to Mexico and I got married to a beautiful woman. We then decided to come back to the U.S. on March of 1979 hoping I would get the job I had before I left for Mexico.

Instead I met a man who helped me and treated me well. We got to know each other very well. I worked for him 16 years. He was like an older brother to me that I had never really had. In 1979 it was when my wife and I began to have children. Till we ended up with 5 of them.

In 1985 another friend of mine asked me if my older daughter was in school. I told him no and asked him how can I get her in school? He then told me to take her to school and ask the principal. I went home and told my wife to dress my girl. I took her to school and asked the principal. She then asked for all the information that the school needed.

Since that day it came to my mind that education was the #1 way to succeed in life. Now that it is 2001, I have two of my kids who have graduated from high school and who are now attending college. I sure do hope that every single one of my kids will graduate from college and be successful in life. The person who taught me how to be respectful and self-esteemed was Tommy Frey who now rests in peace. I still remember the way he loved kids, by showing the way he loved my own kids, respected my family, and helped me take good care of my family.

I want to thank the people who surround me. I learned to be a great member of this community. I have been involved in 4-H, and a member of migrant education program. I will also be gladly to help any member of this community.

Sincerely,
Venancio Hernandez"

Editor's Note: Venancio, his wife and their 5 children are a sample of the Hispanic element of the community of Tulelake. Venancio is proud to have become a farmer raising his own crops while he and his wife raise their children and teach them that to be the best they can be they must work hard and get a good education. With the water crisis, Venancio stood in front of Congressman Wally Herger, representatives of other politicians and a gymnasium full of his neighbors and friends and asked, "What am I to do?" "What are my children going to do?" There was not a dry eye in the building...  ( CW)

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