CHD Testimonials

Thomas Molina is currently employed as an Administrative Assistant with California Human Development and is the 2009 Sonoma County Mayor’s Committee ‘Individual Initiative Award’ recipient, which recognizes an employee with a disability who has shown exemplary initiative in the workplace.

        "My name is Thomas Molina and I grew up in the life of a Sonoma County farm worker. The many semi rural farms and ranches where my family worked were my playground, although by the age of 7 I had responsibilities. After school and on weekends we as a family would pick the County’s local fruits and vegetables. This time was spent between the many fields picking prunes in Healdsburg, apples in Sebastopol, pears in Ukiah, and Blueberries in Forestville. After the age of 7 when I was able to handle a grape knife I worked alongside my father picking grapes. He carried the 5 gallon bucket until I was strong enough to carry it myself. The ranch owners were always in the fields with us as he had a personal interest in his farm workers and his crops. In time, my father became a local ‘Brazero’ or labor coordinator. We continued with this routine for many years and during this time I was witness to many political activities throughout the 1960’s, 70’s, and 80’s. In fact, George Ortiz, founder of California Human Development was a close personal friend of my family along with many other founders and activists. Many of these people would come to our Healdsburg home, most of whom I knew personally but I did not understand the significance they would have on the farm worker movement until many years later. Along with George Ortiz, Candido Morales, Leo Ramirez, Ezekiel Guzman, Geneva Nunez and her family, and Congressman Don Clauson all visited with my family during this time.

        When I was not helping my family work in the fields I was exploring the ranches many hunting and fishing opportunities and this is where I found my passion. After graduating from Healdsburg High School I was working part time in the local lumber mill as well as in the fields and was looking for opportunities for education or training. Through my contacts I came to CHD and the Center for Employment Training. The program was 9 months of basic introduction into Electronic Production Assembly along with career development techniques. I completed this course and another, the Micro Electronics Production Training, while working at a local engineering business as an office clerk. I then networked my way into a position with Hewlett Packard and eventually became a Production Operations Test Technician in the Micro Electronics Department. I eventually had to retire from HP and again returned to a career training facility and was retrained into a more modern computer support and office administrative technical/specialist role.

        After many years I realized I had finally left the life of the migrant farm worker behind. I was happy to have had the unique experiences growing up the way I did, but I also realized just how lucky I was to have made it into a life of greater prosperity."

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