NDWA NEWSLETTER  |  JULY 2024

On July 9, 2024, we marked Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, a day that highlights how far into the year Black women must work to earn what white, non-Hispanic men made the previous year. It’s a stark reminder of the wage gap and the need to keep fighting for fair pay and justice.

Black domestic workers play a vital role in our society. They provide essential care and support that enables other sectors to thrive. Despite their contributions, they often face the largest wage disparities.

We are committed to addressing these inequalities. We believe every worker deserves fair pay, respect, and the chance to thrive. Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is a call to action to uplift Black women’s voices and push for fair wages for all workers.

Our We Dream in Black initiative is central to this fight. 

We Dream in Black focuses on the voices and experiences of Black, Afro-Latinx, and Afro-descendant domestic workers. It’s about organizing, empowering, and advocating for fair wages and better working conditions. 

The We Dream in Black Organizing Institute, happening this year from October 10-13, is our annual gathering to share stories, celebrate achievements, learn together, and build community.

Help support this vital movement. Sign up for more information about We Dream in Black and the Organizing Institute to connect and participate in our virtual events that will be part of this empowering gathering. 

You can also support this important movement by making a donation to WeDiB. Every contribution helps us empower Black domestic workers to become leaders in their communities.

We recently asked you to share the issues that matter most to you.  Here’s what we’re seeing so far: our supporters care deeply about a wide range of issues, including the care economy, economic justice, workers' rights, healthcare, reproductive freedom, safety and security, and immigration.

These results reaffirm the interconnected nature of these issues and how they all tie back to our core mission. 

At NDWA, we understand that advocating for a robust care economy means fighting for economic justice and workers' rights. Safety, security, and fair immigration policies are crucial for the dignity and respect of domestic workers. Ensuring access to quality healthcare and reproductive freedom is essential for the well-being of all workers, families, and communities. 

Together, we are building a movement that recognizes the importance of care in every aspect of our lives. Your input helps us shape our agenda and ensures that we continue to address the issues that matter most to you.

If you haven't taken the survey yet, we still want to hear from you! We can’t wait to hear from you.

Over the course of 10 days, we’ll be traveling the country, visiting diverse communities to learn, share and inspire action around care.

Our journey will take us to rural and small-town communities, urban centers, and key locations in the Midwest, South, and Southwest. Along the way, we’ll be joined by elected officials, local influencers and leaders, care advocates, and everyday caregiving families. Together, we’ll host rallies, care conversations, care fairs, and more.

Sign up now to receive updates on tour stops in your city and find out how you can participate, both in person and online.

Your involvement is crucial as we work to uplift and support family caregivers and care workers and advocate for the care policies our communities need. Whether you join us at a stop near you or engage with us online, your voice and support will make a difference.

Stay tuned for more information and get ready to join us on the Care Can’t Wait Bus Tour.

This Month in Domestic Worker History

In July 1971, domestic workers from across the nation gathered for the first-ever national conference of domestic workers in Washington, DC. 

600 household workers from 30 cities participated in this historic meeting. Among the attendees were Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, and Esther Peterson, head of the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor at the time.

This groundbreaking conference led to the formation of the Household Technicians of America (HTA), the first national organization of domestic workers in the U.S. The HTA held annual conferences for six years, focusing on building a sense of collective identity and dignity among domestic workers and raising labor standards. By the late 1970s, the HTA represented over three dozen groups from across the country and had a membership of 25,000.

To learn more about the Household Technicians of America and the history of domestic worker organizing, check out our interactive timeline here.

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 This email was sent by the National Domestic Workers Alliance, the nation's leading voice for dignity and fairness for the millions of domestic workers in the United States.

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