www.domesticworkersunited.org

Founded in 2000, Domestic Workers United [DWU] is an organization of Caribbean, Latina and African nannies, housekeepers, and elderly caregivers in New York, organizing for power, respect, fair labor standards and to help build a movement to end exploitation and oppression for all. DWU is a proud founding member of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. DWU and its partners brought their power to bear in 2010 when the nation's first Domestic Workers Bill of Rights was passed in New York.

August 1, 2008

Reports from National Domestic Worker Congress


Written By: Gloria Esteva, leader at POWER (People Organized to Win Employment Rights) in San Francisco, CA. (english follows below). Photo by: Yona Paskova for the New York Times.



Mi experincia en el primer congreso de trabajadoras domesticas fue muy soprendente.porque a pesar de que para nosotras las fuimos de San Franncisco en carro atravezando todo el pais y estar canzadas,al llegar a las 2 de la madrugada a New Yor contemplar sus luces fue emocionante saber que llegabamos a tiempo. Pero tadas las luces de New York no tenian el brillo que los ojos de felicidad de nuestra companera Ai-heen al vernos llegar, asi mismo el gusto con que nos recibio en su casa esto nos ayudo mucho GRACIAS companera.
Al llegar al lugar donde empezo nuestro maravilloso congreso fue emocionante ver que ya estaban muchas companera de varias organizaciones lo mas interesante fue cuando empezaron los talleres y el intercambio de experiencias yo estuve en el taller de como usamos la cultura para organizar se menciono de que debiamos tomar en cuenta la cultura de la mayoria de nuestras miembras entre estas el ideoma con traduccion en las juntas la comida, los bailes asi mismo que no debemos permitir que nuestros hijos pierdan nuestra lengua espanol porque vimos que esto los aleja de nuestras familias tambien festejar a nuestros hijos con el dia del nino. nos une y festejar los exitos de nuestros ancestros. Lo importante que es acceder a la tecnologia proyectando nuestras culturas. Todos estuvimos de acuerdo con estos estos puntos, todo el congreso estuvo muy bien y sobre todo la eleccion de nuestro comite organizador y ademas la gran marcha que fue todo un exito sobre todo por la solidaridad de todas las organizaciones gracia a todos los que hicieron posible este congreso su trabajo rendira muchos frutos el ano que viene esperemos compatir mas exitos y lograremos mas organizaciones gracias Marisa por todo tu apoyo yo se que siempre contaremos contigo por favor siguenos escribiendo.

Gloria.

My experience at the first Domestic Workers Congress was very moving. Because despite the fact that we traveled cross country by car from San Francisco, arriving tired at 2 in the morning to contemplate the lights of New York, we were still excited to know we came on time. But all the lights of New York didn't have the brightness as those of the happy eyes of our compañera Ai-jen, who received us with much joy when she saw us arrive. With that same joy she received us in her home and helped us very much, THANK YOU compañera.
Upon arriving to the location of marvalous congress, it was exciting to see there were already compañeras from various organizations present. The most interesting was when we started the workshops and exchange of experiences. I participated in the workshop on how we all use culture to organize, it was mentioned that we should take culture in account, from translation, to the kind of food we have at meetings, dances, and also that we should not permit that our children lose our language of spanish because we've seen how this separates them from our family. We also talked about the need to celebrate Children's Day, the successes of continuing to celebrate our ancestors on Day of the Dead. How important it is to utilize technology to project our cultures. We all agreed with these oints, the whole congress was really good, above all the election of our coordinating committee and also the great march that was a total success. And also, the solidarity amongst the organizations. Thank you to everyone who made this Congress possible. Your work will generate many fruits in the coming year and we hope to share many more successes and accomplishments and more organizations. Thank you marisa for all of your support, i know we can count on you. Please let's keep in contact.

Gloria.