Sixteen caregiver-leaders were selected to participate in an academy called “We Make History.” The curriculum was developed by the National Domestic Workers Alliance, in collaboration with activist scholars from Smith College. A $500 award accompanies these leaders’ selection.
Caregiving for the elderly and disabled was historically provided by the same people who cared for children and tended to housekeeping. The roles of paid care workers and community direct support staff are a direct result of 20th century changes in social security and labor laws, greater numbers of women in the workforce, medical advancements allowing persons to live at home longer and the deinstitutionalization movement for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
These new leaders will meet twice-monthly to study the history of the direct care field and how the image of caregivers in the United States is an outgrowth of unpaid domestic work in the U.S. If you’d like to join a future “We Make History” cohort, call 505-867-6046 or write to info@nmdcc.org.