In pursuit of a better life for myself and my daughter, I chose to work as a domestic worker, cleaning toilets. This path led me to confront unique challenges and recognize the exploitation faced by domestic workers, immigrants, minorities in the service industry, and platform workers. In California alone, over 300,000 such workers experience this modern form of slavery. Our worker rights are regularly violated as we are misclassified as independent workers, while companies and individuals profit from our labor. Workers often struggle to leverage their references for better job opportunities.
I realized that the 1% was exploiting domestic workers, non-medical caregivers, and nannies, so I started organizing and advocating for change. My efforts contributed to the protection of workers in private homes under AB2314 and the passage of a law ending employee misclassification under AB5. In 2018, I spoke at a plenary session in Congress in Atlanta, Georgia, to advocate for the National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. My journey is chronicled in my book 'The Awakening', available on Amazon.
As the founder of My Character References, I established a company that enables essential workers to store their references in a data storage system and acquire skills that showcase their experience. We offer training in over 200 soft skills through a flexible Adult Base Education and Training (ABET) program tailored to individual needs. Our curriculum covers ancillary healthcare, life orientation, arts and culture, language literacy, and communication, among other areas.
In addition to teaching, I actively work as a non-medical caregiver for individuals with dementia, stroke, and end-of-life support. I have also written 'The Little Guide To Eldercare: Rights and Resources in your Golden Years', which is available on Amazon.