I am a PhD student at the University of Kansas, Department of Anthropology. Prior to graduate study I worked in my hometown, in northeastern Colorado, teaching English as a Second Language at a large beefpacking plant. This work led me to ask questions about migration, immigrant integration, and work and workers. I have conducted ethnographic fieldwork in Deep South Texas and Mexican Gulf Coast states and will continue at these field sites for my dissertation research.

Having grown up in rural eastern Colorado and lived in and traveled to various parts of the world, I've come to appreciate the little things about Great Plains that I took for granted. A sign I recently found on my advisor's door reminded me of that:

"Anyone can sit back at the seashore and be inspired because it shouts at you--so do the mountains. But the prairie only whispers. You must listen carefully and not miss the message." (Val Peters)

And this is also how I approach my research. The everyday lives of workers at their worksite and homes may not be the most sensational fieldsite, but their story can speak volumes.