Unsung heroes
Wilmer Valderrama’s new series highlights stories of workers on the frontlines of COVID-19
The actor kicked off the virtual series with a female farmworker
Wilmer Valderrama’s new Instagram Live Series, Six Feet Apart is giving workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic, a platform for sharing their stories. On Wednesday, April 22, the That’s ‘70s Show alum kicked off the series with a conversation with a female farmworker Araseli, who talked of how agricultural workers are expected to show up whether it rains or shines. “That’s why one sometimes feels sad when we hear negative comments toward us as workers or immigrants,” she explained to Wilmer.
In a recent interview with CNN, the Colombian-Venezuelan star explained his idea for launching the virtual series occurred after a trip to the grocery store. “I wanted to create conversations ... that unite us all and humanize a lot of the conversations that we‘re seeing in the news,” he said. ”I was inspired by that after going to the grocery store and seeing a lot of our grocery store workers feeling kind of down and deflated and as I asked questions I started realizing they were getting kind of a beating from a lot of frustrated customers.”
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During his chat with the agricultural worker, the NCIS actor asked her to send a message to fellow farmworkers to which she replied, “Do not let yourself down, take care from the coronavirus. We need to keep fighting day by day for our children, for their education, the food we need to give them.” She added, “We need to be strong, keep going, we can’t be detained by what’s happening with the virus. And more than anything to feel proud to be immigrants, agricultural workers. That’s my opinion.”
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Wilmer plans to next highlight truck drivers and grocery store employees. Aside from his latest initiative, the California native along with actors Casey Affleck, Ed Helms, and more industry peeps, government leaders, and activists, shined a light on the challenges Native communities are facing amid the pandemic.
Together they did a PSA for IllumiNative’s newly launched #WarriorUp campaign. The initiative was done in partnership with Harness, the group co-founded by America Ferrera, Wilmer himself and Ryan Piers Williams.
