From “Los Campos” to BUENO CAMP, and then Back to the Field
A BUENO CAMP alumni uses her opportunities to support other Migrant Seasonal Farm Workers. Joanely Ramos
was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and has lived in Colorado since she was five years old, and she considers herself a native to both countries. After graduating from Weld Central High School she began her journey at Aims Community College, where she was a BUENO CAMP scholar in the BUENO Center’s College Assistance Migrant Program.
After completing her Associates Degree, Ramos continued in higher education and pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with a minor in Visual and Multiplatform Media, earning an additional certificate in Digital Marketing from MSU Denver. During her undergraduate experience at MSU, Joanely worked for MSU Denver’s CAMP in various roles as a student employee and during the summer stayed active in the world of migrant education serving as a college mentor for the Colorado Department of Education’s Summer Migrant Youth Leadership Institute (SMYLI). Ms. Ramos mentions she will never stop fighting for human rights, specifically farmworker and immigrant rights.
After graduating from MSU, Ramos became the Systemic Change Organizer or the United Farm Workers Foundation (UFWF). The UFWF dates back to the early 1960s, with the advocacy work for migrant farm workers of Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and Gilbert Padilla. Still alive and strong, the UFWF continues to support the organization of migrants to advocate for worker rights. In her role, Ms. Ramos supported this advocacy through various avenues including when she was tasked to escort migrant/seasonal farmworkers on a plane to Washington DC to march to the White house. Ramos mentioned that taking the opportunity
UFWF was an amazing experience. Dr. Robert Garcia, BUENO CAMP’s Director comments on the decision to recommend Ms. Ramos for the job.
“When asked by a National UFW representative for a referral of a strong candidate to represent Colorado’s migrant workers, Joanely was an obvious consideration. I knew she was a hard worker and that the mission and vision of the UFW Foundation aligned with her values. We were very proud to learn the news that she was hired for the job,” said Dr. Robert Garcia, BUENO CAMP Director.
Ramos often describes agriculture as a vital aspect in her life and roots, as both of her families come from agriculture backgrounds, and her dad is still a proud farmworker. Ramos returned to the world of CAMP in the summer of 2022 by joining MSU Denver CAMP as the program’s Outreach and Enrollment Coordinator. In this role she gets to bring resources to students with migrant/seasonal farm working and guiding them through their first steps into higher education.
As she describes why she joined the program, “If it wasn’t for BUENO CAMP and MSU Denver CAMP, I don’t know if I would be where I am today [being the first one to hold a bachelors in her family], and I want to bring those opportunities to students who are in the same shoes I once was.”
In her spare time, she loves to get creative with photography, painting and reading. Family and friends are essential for her, therefore she tries to dedicate a fair share of her time with her loved ones, whether it's brunching on weekends, traveling, or simply watching a good movie together. She loves to travel and indulge in the culture and food of the country she is visiting, so she goes with what locals recommend having an authentic experience. Rarely does she skip on opportunities to travel, her goal this year is to travel more with her family.