LOVE LETTER TO JEANETH

Love Letter to Jeaneth

Lillian Galedo's tribute

I was so sad and heart sick and angry to learn of your death by a hit-and-run driver - on the day you would be celebrating your 31st wedding anniversary.

I remember when you first came to FAJ's caregiver support group (Kapwa Ko). Christine at Asian Health Services referred you to FAJ. Your stomach was tied in knots and you suffered from severe pain. She realized that it was less medical and more related to stress and anxiety.

Stress from missing your family in the Philippines, the hardships of poverty, living on the margins without 'papers', afraid of being discovered. It was your job that was making you sick. You were working all the time for less than $10/hr. That didn't leave you with much after sending much needed remittances home. Even though your salary did not reflect it, you were managing an understaffed, multiple patient care facility on a tight budget. Because you lived there you had to do whatever was needed, working 24/7. You had no privacy or quality time to yourself. On your 'off day' the only thing you could do was go walking/window shopping. Isolated. Trapped in the black hole of no legal status and no labor protections.

Your employer was heartless and despicable; but you would never use words like that. I remember one story you shared: You were excited about being invited to a holiday party at your boss's fancy house in Walnut Creek. You dressed up. When you got there you were informed that you were not a guest! You were there to serve and clean up - without compensation. She thought she owned you. Later, you joked that if you knew you would be working you 'wouldn't have worn heels!' (I swear 80% of Filipinos are comedians.) We both chuckled over that, but I hated your boss for humiliating and disrespecting you that way. 

Christine called ahead to say you were coming over. Judith greeted you with a warm, disarming smile. You seemed reluctant and didn't say much for a few group sessions. But you listened to the stories of other caregivers and over time opened up. They made you laugh, feel at home. You ate together, tried yoga, line dancing and shared your favorite pass time - karaoke. All good medicine. They too had to navigate heartless, exploitative, cheap, abusive employers and were managing to survive by supporting each other. A few actually had experienced decent employers. 

 

 

 

 

Some of them were involved in domestic worker rights campaigns that FAJ was a part of. We invited you to go with the California Domestic Workers Coalition to Sacramento to promote our domestic workers' rights bill. You were hesitant, but you agreed to tag along. (I think you were equally interested is going on a day trip to the Capital since you had never been there or anywhere since coming here.) You were nervous, but listened. 

 

We next invited you to march with us in Sacramento. You went.  There were so many domestic worker women of all nationalities - being loud, assertive, and telling their stories. When I pointed my camera in your direction you would take a half step backwards behind someone else - but you marched on.

 
You quit that abusive job and began finding your voice. You contributed a few words as part of a delegation of domestic workers who meet with our Assembly member.

Not long after, you agreed to go with us to Washington DC (!) for the National Domestic Workers Alliance's convening of domestic workers from all over the country. We were there to learn from and support each other as well as begin shaping a campaign for a national domestic workers' bill of rights. It was energizing and inspiring. You even participated in a cultural presentation. The Filipino caregivers joined together to sing Ang Bayan Ko. You were still camera shy, but I think you were happy to have participated and liked the photo of yourself on stage.

 

When we next went to Sacramento for a big Lobby Day you were prepared to tell your story. You wrote it down and confidently read it at two visits. My all-time favorite photo is of you leaning nonchalantly against the giant bear outside the Governor's office at the end of that day - looking directly into the camera (!). If I could write a dialog bubble over your head it would say: "I'm cool, I did what I came here to do."

 

Through the empowering domestic workers' rights eco-system of FAJ, PAWIS, CDWC, and NDWA you evolved into a worker aktibista, joining other caregivers to win workers' rights victories. At the time of your death you were reaching out and being supportive of other caregivers, even distributing face masks. You had found - and were building - a supportive community for low wage, exploited workers.

 

The new Administrative has promised to legalize the undocumented in the US. I really wanted that for you.

So, with you in my thoughts, I continue our fight for legal status for the millions of workers like you who are the bedrock of our economy. 

 
Love you karaoke Princess. Rest in peace and power. Jeaneth Presente!