As women we are taught to take care of our homes from a young age. Professionally this means I am an expert in all areas of domestic and care work. The problem is that working as a live in domestic worker means that you have more responsibilities without an increase in wages.
Employers take advantage of the intimate nature of the work and you’re asked to do more but the salary remains the same. After a while you adapt to their needs and the exploitation becomes normalized. You do your job well, comply with everything they say and what they want you to do yet are never compensated for all the work you do. It is rare for people to recognize you for going the extra mile and we are always the ones with something to lose, the employer never loses. I enjoy cleaning in general but I loathe cleaning toilets. In those moments that I’m stuck cleaning someone else’s toilet I wonder how I got there and it feels like I’ve betrayed myself.
In regards to my activism, I believe that by working together we can conquer our challenges and achieve a change. We must find a way to leverage the importance and value of our labor so that society can respect this work. Getting involved with different organizations helps to open doors and expand our understanding of our rights and ways to fight for more.
I hope that the people who come across this exhibit can get in touch with their feelings and have a vision of the importance that domestic work has.