Some events in life are a catalyst for ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Back in 1975, 6-year old Virginia Garcia, the daughter of migrant farmworkers, died from a foot infected by an untreated cut.  Virginia and her parents weren’t able to access healthcare because of economic, language and cultural barriers.

Her death spurred the rural Washington County community into action.  In just three short weeks, compassionate community members opened a tiny clinic in a 3-car Cornelius, Oregon garage to provide healthcare to the underserved community focusing on migrant and seasonal workers.  Today their legacy is The Virginia Garcia Memorial Health & Foundation which serves over 52,000 people in 17 Oregon clinics every year.

Oregon Hispanic Business Association President Art Cortez remembers how his dad, Arturo V.  Cortez, played a key role in forming the clinic:

My dad was doing good things back in the early to mid-70s.  His passion was bringing healthcare to migrant workers. There was a radical group that did not like the fact that migrant workers were being turned away when needing health care because could not produce health insurance. My dad found this to be a worthy challenge.

The group wrote grants to the State of Oregon requesting funds to buy a van. They wanted to take volunteer doctors to the farms to help the sick and injured migrants. They received the grant and were excited.  They decided to make a clinic in a garage in a house next to the Centro.

A day came when my dad heard that a migrant girl the same age as I was had died from a staph infection. He wanted to know more about what had happened and found out that the hospitals refused to see her because her parents were uninsured. The girl’s name was Virginia Garcia. The group was so frustrated, and Virginia’s reason for passing became a catalyst for their purpose. This was a very emotional moment. They took a stand. The group decided to ask the Garcia family if it was okay to use Virginia Garcia’s name for the foundation.

While my dad worked on the foundation, he was also managing 300 to 500 migrants harvesting berries, cucumbers, wine grapes, cabbage, and any produce that the farmer wanted him to harvest. In the winter, he would pick up odd jobs in the construction industry which led to him becoming a residential drywall contractor. He continued to work with the Virginia Garcia Clinic.

There is no doubt that my dad’s driving passion was to build things, whether it be security, equality, or a structure. My dad taught me that the world has a lot to offer, but you need to fight and protect what you have. The world will try to take back what you work hard for and if you don’t pay attention, it can all be lost. 

Small business owners know this all too well. We are confronted with many challenges and have to work hard to establish our place in the economy.  We must remember that we are not employees, we are providers. With the right strategy, organization, and drive, small businesses can be profitable. If you have a business, you know this all too well. Think big, remember your goals, and stay committed.

 Art Cortez is the President of The Harver Company, a commercial drywall construction company based in Wilsonville, Oregon. He is a founding member of the Oregon Hispanic Business Association.