Jorge López, 71, has been an employee of the Graves Gin Corporation in Rector, Ark., for the past 30 years. A native of Tamaulipas, Mexico, and he has served in various capacities within the company.

Jorge moved to Kennett 30 years ago. “I like to be in the company because here everyone treats me well,” he said.

The sun rising over the cotton in front of gin.

Jorge inspcting cotton bales.

Jorge lives in Kennett, but drives across the border into Arkansas every day to work at the gin. 

Jorge and his brother Javier López talk inside their car at dawn when they arrive at the gin.  They both share a house in Kennett with a friend, Alfredo Castillo, also from Tamaulipas.

Bales arriving at the gin,  where the cotton is processed to separate the cotton from the seeds. The seeds are then used for oil and feed for cows.

Jorge touches a cotton plant with his hand. He has had two work accidents while working with cotton. In one of the accidents, he lost the middle finger of his left hand, and in the other, on the same hand, he lost tendons and mobility. This does not allow him to make a complete grip. In this accident he had six surgeries to save his hand.

Jorge looks over the cotton field adjacent to the Graves Gin Corporation. He has worked at the Graves Gin Corporation for 30 years, but his first job with cotton started when he was 14 years old in Texas.