Hey John,

As an actor, I've played a character on the tv show Queen Sugar who returns home to her roots after her dad suffers a stroke — and the storyline has hit extremely close to home.

A few years ago my father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and dementia. Overnight my life changed: my brother and I became completely responsible for caring for his life.

It was overwhelming. It was an unexpected education about what caregiving really is. And it was a wakeup call about just how hard paid caregivers work, and how hard it is for them to make ends meet.

I’ve become deeply passionate about caregiving, and that’s why I’m a proud supporter of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

As 2021 comes to an end, the National Domestic Workers Alliance needs to raise $25,000 from grassroots donors, and I’m adding my voice to help them get there. Will you join me and donate to help hit this goal?

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After my dad’s diagnosis, some of the biggest questions I faced were: If I wasn’t going to be the one to care for him, who would? My dad means the world to me, would I be able to trust someone else to give him the same level of care I would give?

And quickly I started asking: how are we as a society supporting the people who carry the incredible responsibility of caring for the ones we love the most?

There are 55 million paid and unpaid caregivers in this country, and if there’s anything the pandemic has shown us, it’s that there are deep cracks in our care infrastructure and these cracks need to be filled.

The National Domestic Workers Alliance is leading the charge to strengthen our care infrastructure and build a caregiving economy that works for families AND paid caregivers. To keep this incredible work going they need to hit a goal of $25,000 in the next couple of days. Can you donate now to help them get there?

DONATE TODAY →

This is personal to me on both sides of the caregiving experience. My grandmother was a domestic worker and, looking back now, I understand that her work was not recognized or valued by our country and an important part of her identity was never given the respect and dignity it deserved.

Two generations later, it’s beyond time that we recognize and reward the incredible work caregivers provide.

Thanks!

Dawn-Lyen Gardner,
Actor, Activist, and National Domestic Workers Alliance supporter