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NDWA NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2024

VOTING IS CARING

Voting is more than a right—it’s an act of care for ourselves, our families, and our communities . At NDWA, we believe it’s a powerful tool for shaping the future.

This belief is woven deeply into the fabric of our movement, built by generations of domestic workers who fought for justice and equality.
One of the most powerful examples is Dorothy Bolden, a trailblazer whose birthday we honor and celebrate every October [[link removed]] . Ms. Bolden organized domestic workers in Atlanta and co-founded the National Domestic Workers Union in the 1960s and she fought tirelessly for fair wages and labor rights. But her vision went beyond the workplace. Ms. Bolden understood that for domestic workers to gain respect and rights, they had to have power at the ballot box. In the face of systemic voter suppression, she mobilized Black voters, knowing that voting was key to achieving justice for all workers .

But this legacy of activism and civic duty goes back even further. In the years after emancipation, newly freed Black women, many of whom were domestic workers, saw voting as a sacred duty [[link removed]] —not just for themselves, but for their entire communities. Despite being denied the right to vote, Black women organized in churches and community centers, risking their safety to ensure that Black men could vote. They provided protection at the polls and, even without the vote, made their voices heard in mass meetings, advocating for true freedom through collective action .

Similarly, immigrant women, including Latina and Asian women, have been at the forefront of the fight for justice, even when they couldn’t vote themselves . Facing barriers like language discrimination, threats of deportation, and the weight of navigating an unfamiliar system, they did not stay silent. Instead, they organized their families, neighbors, and communities, mobilizing others to vote and building political power from the ground up .

The 2006 immigrant rights marches [[link removed]] , largely driven by women, show the power of collective action, even when the vote itself was out of reach for many. Their activism laid the groundwork for political engagement across generations, inspiring their children and future voters to take action.

This Election Day, remember we are standing on the shoulders of so many brave women who came before us. Every time we vote, we honor their legacy — ensuring that our work, our voices, and our communities are seen, heard and valued. Our votes are not just ours – they are a tribute to their fight and a promise to the generations to come.

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GET VOTE READY

Election Day is fast approaching and we want to ensure you are prepared to vote. If you haven’t already, check out our Voter Hub [[link removed]] , which is designed to help you navigate the voting process and make sure your vote counts.

Check Your Voter Registration [[link removed]] Before heading to the polls, double-check your registration status. Whether you’ve moved recently or haven’t voted in a while, it’s important to verify that you're still registered.

Same-Day Registration [[link removed]] If you're not registered yet, you may still be able to register. Twenty-three states and Washington, DC have implemented same-day registration, which allows any qualified resident of the state to register to vote and cast a ballot at the same time.
Be sure to bring proof of residency and identification, as requirements vary by state.

Make a Plan to Vote [[link removed]]
Having a plan to vote is one of the best ways to ensure your voice is heard this election. Decide now whether you’ll vote early or on Election Day, and confirm your polling location [[link removed]] .

Make sure you know the ID requirements for your state and double-check your voter registration.

If you’re voting by mail, request and send in your ballot as early as possible. Planning ahead helps avoid any surprises and makes sure that nothing stands between you and the future you're voting for!

Tracking Your Absentee or Mail-In Ballot [[link removed]]
If you’ve already cast your ballot by mail or absentee, it’s important to make sure your vote is counted. Most states provide ballot tracking tools that allow you to check when your ballot was mailed, when it was received by election officials, and whether it has been accepted for counting. It’s essential to confirm that your ballot has been received and counted, especially if you're voting absentee. If your ballot hasn't arrived, or there are any issues, you can resolve them before it's too late.

Visit our Voter Hub to tap into all of our Vote Ready resources. [[link removed]]

GET VOTE READY › [[link removed]]

National Domestic Workers Alliance does not endorse, support or oppose candidates for public office.

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THIS MONTH IN DOMESTIC WORKER HISTORY

For women of color, winning the right to vote was part of a broader fight for justice, fair wages and better working conditions. While the mainstream suffrage movement often overlooked them, Black, Latina, Asian and Native women organized through civil rights groups, churches, and labor unions to demand political power. They saw voting as a crucial tool in their fight for economic freedom and against workplace discrimination.

Even after the 19th Amendment passed in 1920, giving women the right to vote, racist laws like poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence kept many women of color from voting. It wasn’t until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that these barriers began to break down, allowing more women of color to use the vote as a tool for change.

To learn more about the role of working-class women of color in the fight for voting rights, explore our interactive timeline of domestic worker history [[link removed]] .

LEARN MORE › [[link removed]]

DONATE NOW › [[link removed]]

Join our SMS list : Text NDWA to 33843

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

45 Broadway, Suite 2240 | New York, NY 10006 | DomesticWorkers.org [[link removed]]

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