Pandemic Communities of Fate and Care Penalties Among Community Outreach Workers in California’s Central Valley

Authors: Meredith Van Natta, Andrés Arias, Maria Andrea Escobar

This study looked at the experiences of 43 community outreach workers supporting immigrant communities in California during COVID-19. While their work was praised as essential, it was still underpaid and undervalued. The pandemic brought these workers closer together, but it also highlighted inequalities tied to gender, race, and legal status. In the end, their important role in helping communities was recognized in words but not matched with fair pay or support.