According to the 2020 COVID-19 Farmworker Study, 59 percent of all farmworkers in California have no health insurance and cite cost and distrust in the authorities, government, and the medical system as a deterrent. This issue has only become more urgent and been exacerbated by the pandemic, but one woman in the state’s wine country is hoping to make a difference when it comes to health access for these marginalized communities.
Jocelyn Boreta is a descendent of a Native American and Mexican migrant farmworker and the owner of The Botanical Bus. Boreta takes her bus and a crew of practitioners to different wineries around Napa Valley where she extends counseling and medical care to on-site farmworkers. The bus is sponsored by the farmworkers’ employer and Boreta’s team includes masseuses, acupuncturists, reiki specialists, herbalists, translators, and even a foot nurse. The emphasis is on traditional herbal medicine, but there are also informative seminars about common conditions like diabetes.
Workers can rotate free of charge through the different stations while enjoying a free lunch of rice, beans, homemade tortilla chips, and tamales. So far, the largest bilingual health clinic The Botanical Bus hosted took place at Silver Oak vineyard, with over 30 practitioners participating.
Boreta, who has an herbalism certificate from the California School of Herbal Studies, explains that the emphasis on plant-based healing is effective because while many workers may be hesitant to seek out traditional medical services, Indigenous remedies are far more approachable.
She said that plant-based medicine “is a powerful and culturally relevant form of healthcare that has proven to encourage the Latinx and Indigenous populations to seek out conventional and complementary care.” Research supports this claim with a 2019 study finding that Mexican farmworkers treated by a conventional medical provider are twice as likely to also be treated by a traditional healer in the same year.
Moving forwards, The Botanical Bus hopes to not only expand its service to farmworkers, but Boreta is also partnering with nonprofit West County Health Centers to bring the service to rural elementary schools as well.
Image source: The Botanical Bus
