Ramon Ramirez won't reach for a dictionary, nor does he need to search long and hard to define equality in his own words. For Ramirez, simply put, Equality is "respect and dignity for all."

Perhaps he has a readily prescribed definition because he centers his life work on recognizing, and fighting against inequality. Ramirez works for Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United (PCUN). Within PCUN, Oregon's largest Latino organization, Ramirez advocates for immigrant farm workers and empowers field laborers to understand and take action against, what he calls, "the cycle of exploitation."

With a passionate voice, Ramirez describes the harsh realities Oregon farm workers face. "You won't believe how some farm workers live," he says. "They stay in chicken coops, work for little or no money. Women farm workers have double the national number of miscarriages."

Ramirez testifies that unfair labor conditions for people of color and immigrants mirrors oppression felt by gay and lesbian individuals. As a person of color who has worked with many immigrants over the years, Ramirez has observed an abundance of discrimination. "So many workers are treated like second class people. As a person of color I feel discrimination and indifference every day of life."

Drawing this comparison reminds Ramirez of a recent experience he had involving discourse focused on gay and lesbian rights. At a conference he overheard a handful of latino women, ages 12-14, talking. "They had this concept about gay folks that was completely wrong. I mentioned that they cannot be for the rights of latinos if they are not for the rights of others." He pauses before concluding, "just being able to tell them how similar we are made them think. If spend more time with people, we can win them over and fight against homophobia."

Ramirez believes in diversity and feels that the work he does with his organization represents this struggle against homophobia, sexism, classism and racism. "I want to live in, and help build, a society where all folks are created equal and are respect by each other. I believe that everybody is different and I'm fine with that, but I want to be able to live in a society where my kids grow up without homophobia, racism and classism."