Our PAST

In 2013, my husband, Ted Lucas, and I became involved with a group of indigenous people from Oaxaca who lost their homes in a fire in Oxnard, California. Within two years, we created a nonprofit charity to “befriend, celebrate and support” more of these courageous people—resourceful and hopeful people. It is called Friends of Fieldworkers, Inc.

Friends of Fieldworkers (FoF) responded to basic needs for food, clothing, diapers, baby items, medical and dental care, some rental and utility help. Additionally, it provided school and art materials, children’s books and literacy projects. Laundry Love was held once a month in two city laundromats (Oxnard and Hueneme) where families came to do their laundry, free of charge and provided with all laundry supplies. It also provided us a chance to visit, read and do art with the children, catch up on family news, as well as the distribution of fresh, organic fruit, veggies, clothing and household items.

During the pandemic, FoF made 1-2 weekly home deliveries of clothing, shoes food, medicine, toys, books, art and school supplies and special treats. We also responded to our families’ births, deaths, terminal illnesses, moves and other family events. At any given time, we worked with about 25 indigenous families.

Our PRESENT

Ten years later, while FoF is determining what programs to continue, Ted and I see a new set of interests and needs emerging in this fieldworker community. The children are graduating into and from high school. They are deciding what to study and do now. One graduated from UC Berkeley and is pursuing law school. One will graduate from CSUCI this spring in social work. Three are attending local community colleges. Some are caring for new babies. Some parents are interested in expanding their options in the U.S. by studying English and eventually going to college or technical school. 

Having turned Friends of Fieldworkers over to new leadership, we founded Atomic Love Explosion, Inc., (ALEx) a new nonprofit designed primarily to provide more opportunities for this same group of people and others of immigrant status. Low-income, immigrant and indigenous people are encouraged to pinpoint a dream or a problem to solve and to develop a plan, including a grant request. We will attempt to offer support as needed, but we are unable to fund all applications.