“Sometimes, the company provides us with water, but it’s not enough. Some workers have passed out due to the heat, and they had to be taken to the hospital. For instance, in July, around 11 in the morning, some workers can’t handle it anymore.”
Antonino Antonio, Georgia
Antonino is a 48-year-old-farm worker who lives with his wife and two children in Georgia. Having been a farm worker for more than 20 years, his life has been tremendously impacted by climate change. While working during the off-season, Antonino fell off a roof, leading to multiple injuries that required the insertion of metal rods in his hand, foot and jaw. One of Antonino’s biggest fears is being struck by lightning while working in the fields, as people with metal rods in their bodies are more at-risk and thunderstorms are a common occurrence in Georgia. Between 1995 to 2016, over 30 people have been killed by lightning in Georgia, with lightning storms getting more severe and common due to rising temperatures associated with climate change. Antonino, who knows people who have been paralyzed due to lightning strikes, hopes that he can live free from the fear of dangerous conditions and that farm workers are given the support they need.
watch antonino’s story
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