Episode 24 - Labor Activist Ai-Jen Poo on the Future of Carework and Protecting Immigrant Communities

Ai-Jen Poo is a lifelong activist, current director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), and author of the book “The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America.” She joins Chloe on The Other Pod to discuss the current landscape of carework in the United States amidst political turmoil and threats of mass deportation. Chloe and Ai-Jen discuss:

• How can we effectively advocate for universal access to care and the recognition of carework as essential infrastructure despite political setbacks? 
• What innovative approaches or programs can be developed to support and empower caregivers, such as the improv training program Ai-Jen developed with The Second City?
• How can we highlight the challenges and experiences of women caregivers, especially women of color, to raise awareness and drive policy changes?

Plus, Ai-Jen discusses her family’s immigration from Taiwan, how working exclusively in women-of-color organizations has shaped her orientation towards unwavering optimism, and how everyday people can get involved in organizing.
 

About:
Ai-jen Poo is a labor activist and the executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), an organization advocating for the rights of domestic workers in the U.S. She has been a leading voice in the fight for better wages, working conditions, and legal protections for nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers. Poo played a key role in passing the California Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in 2013 and has been recognized for her work on behalf of immigrant rights and gender equality. Named to TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2012, Poo is widely regarded for her efforts to elevate the voices of vulnerable workers and drive systemic change. She has a podcast with Alicia Garza called Sunstorm, streaming everywhere.

Chloe Aftel has spent her career working in commercial photography, photojournalism, and film. She’s an established name in modern photography with work featured in The New York Times, Mother Jones, Playboy, Dazed & Confused, Vogue Germany, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue Italia, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue & more. Chloe has photographed victims of sexual violence, reported on Covid’s impact on the trans community, and gained access as the first reporter in the Covid wards of the West Coast’s hardest hit hospitals. She has covered underground abortion providers, the impact of gender pronouns on daily life, and clergy abuse. Her first book, “Outside and In Between,” is an award-winning anthology covering gender non-conforming people across America.


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