Imagine a bus where community members have access to wifi, telehealth services, school tutoring, mental health support, nutrition classes, food distribution, and cultural arts programming… where parents can connect with their child’s teacher… where food is regularly distributed to those in need.

For farmworkers on the San Mateo County coast, the Equity Bus has been transformative.

Currently, the Equity Express serves approximately 120 people a week, rotating among up to 12 farms in the afternoons and early evenings when farmworkers are most available. With its state-of-the-art technology, onboard resources, and a team of welcoming, knowledgable, and dedicated staff, the Equity Express has redefined how essential services reach the Coastside farmworker community since its launch in December 2022. Under the leadership of Sandra Sencion, Farmworker Director at ALAS (Ayudando Latinos a Soñar), the bus has become an engine of integral and vital services for the farmworker community from Half Moon Bay to Pescadero.

The Origin Story

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered forced seclusion and anxiety globally and locally. In our County it intensified the inequities and isolation experienced by the people who grow and harvest the very food we eat, our farmworkers. 

Two leaders at ALAS, a Latino-centered nonprofit dedicated to supporting, advocating, and promoting the well being of the coastal community, witnessed farmworker needs firsthand and conceived the idea of a bus while taking supplies and resources to the farms. Dr. Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, Founder and Executive Director of ALAS, and Joaquin Jimenez, former Farmworker Program and Outreach Director, began dreaming of a bus project that served farmworkers in the fields where they worked. Aisha Baro, Executive Director of Life Science Cares Bay Area, and her team offered pandemic assistance to ALAS and a working group was created.

In Leadership Council SMC’s 2021 inaugural Leadership CORPS Program, Aisha met Kate Wilson, Senior Director of Public Affairs at Gilead Foundation. While collaborating in our CORPS Program, they forged a relationship and discovered a shared commitment to equitable access to healthcare and education. When Kate was invited into the working group, Aisha, Kate, and the broader team applied to Gilead Foundation for seed funding and engaged a diverse coalition of project partners including Genentech, Gilead Foundation, California Life Sciences, GSK, Life Sciences Cares, AbbVie, County of San Mateo, and of course, ALAS. The story of how Aisha and Kate connected at Leadership CORPS is on the Leadership Council SMC News page.

Bringing Services and a Lot More

As an extension of ALAS’s existing programs, the Equity Express advances ALAS’s mission to address the inequities faced by farmworkers, particularly in accessing vital resources like healthcare, education, and mental health services, and is fulfilling ALAS’s dream of bringing their programs directly to the field.

Relationships of trust have been created over the past two years as ALAS team members have become familiar faces, creating an environment where community members feel comfortable seeking help, which in turn grows ALAS’s ability to deliver their full range of services.

Ana Morales-Galvan, Equity Express Bus Program Coordinator, explained that the consistency of the bus visits developed relationships that didn’t exist before.

“Even on days when no one used our services, just showing up regularly built familiarity,” she observed. “We ask the farmworkers about their day, how they are doing, and offer smiles and support. The farmworkers know us now. They recognize the ALAS staff on the street or stop by our office to say hello.” 

The Equity Express team is also exploring collaborations with nearby neighborhoods to extend their reach. 

Leadership CORPS Connection

The Equity Express epitomizes Leadership Council SMC’s mission of positively transforming San Mateo County by connecting, inspiring, and educating established and emerging leaders from the business, nonprofit, and government sectors.

With its vibrant design and warm, friendly staff, the Equity Express has created significant, positive change for San Mateo County’s Coastside community. Leadership Council San Mateo County is proud to have played a role by creating a space where business and community leaders can build deep relationships and forge partnerships to creatively solve big challenges in San Mateo County.

Learn about Leadership Council SMC’s Leadership Immersion Programs: the Emerging Leaders Program (for rising leaders) and the Leadership CORPS Program (for senior leaders). Applications for the upcoming class will be available in early March.