Wesaam Al-Badry: In California's Agricultural Heartland, a Mayor is Running on Compassion
Wesaam Al-Badry
Seeking out the stories flying under the national radar, The Nation and Magnum Foundation are partnering on What’s At Stake, a series of photo essays from across the country through the lenses of independent image-makers.
This week, Wesaam Al-Badry chronicles the mayor of a small farming town in California fighting to protect her constituents, regardless of immigration status. The NationProduced with support from the Economic Hardship Reporting Project. Read more in The Nation.
“The mayor of Gonzales is an anomaly in the region: Maria Orozco is the first Latina woman to have won the position in the town, and she’s turned into an outspoken advocate for her constituents. First elected mayor in 2008, Orozco is now in her sixth consecutive term. Faced with the pandemic, the burning wildfires, and the challenges of overseeing a resource-strapped town, Orozco is fighting for justice for all the people who live in Gonzales, regardless of immigration status.”