We like them.

"Can you explain how butterfly migration connects with migrant and seasonal farmworker labor?

I like this question; it’s philosophical and poetic. It’s the reality, migration goes both ways between Mexico and Michigan because of the Great Lakes and natural resources. Many people don’t know that monarchs fly all the way from Michigan to Michoacán, Mexico, in late August and September and return to the southern U.S. in March and eventually to Michigan in May.

This observed pattern signifies Michigan’s weather change and drop in temperatures in the late summer and the warming temperatures in the spring. When the butterflies migrate back north, seasonal farmworkers know that the growing season is close. It is a hard seasonal journey to endure and, in the end, there’s a beauty to this cycle of pollination and the resilience of migrant labor.

Why is honoring and recognizing migrant farmworkers so important to you?

I believe honoring migrant farmworkers is a recognition of all the people. Food is important to everyone, every day. Michigan farmworkers are essential to the Michigan economy and the food security for the entire nation. It is incredibly important that this group is recognized."

~ David Mota-Sanchez

https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2023/faculty-voice-recognizing-migrant-farmworkers