Gov. Jerry Brown (D-Calif.) has a big decision to make for the cause of women’s rights. On his desk at the moment is a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights that recently passed both houses of the California legislature. The bill only needs Gov. Brown’s signature to become law; if he doesn’t sign it before September […]
Author: Premilla Nadasen
Premilla Nadasen is an Associate Professor of History at Queens College, City University of New York. Her first book, Welfare Warriors: The Welfare Rights Movement in the United States (Routledge 2005), won the John Hope Franklin Prize awarded by the American Studies Association. In 2006-2007 she served as first Visiting Endowed Chair of Women’s Studies at Brooklyn College. A longtime community activist and scholar, she has worked with numerous social justice organizations, including Domestic Workers United and the National Domestic Workers Alliance. She has written for Feminist Studies, the Women's Review of Books, Race and Reason, Ms. Magazine, and the Progressive Media Project. In addition, she has given numerous public talks about African-American women's history, welfare policy, and labor organizing. She is currently writing a book on the history of domestic worker organizing in the United States.
The Women Behind the Woman
Anne-Marie Slaughter’s widely circulated article in The Atlantic has unleashed a wave of impassioned discussion about whether women can successfully pursue a professional career and have a family. Slaughter highlights how office culture and policies in the U.S. make it difficult for women to balance the competing demands of work and family, and she suggests […]
Racial Profiling in Tennessee: Another Arizona for Immigrants?
Nearly four years ago, Juana Villegas, a nine-months-pregnant undocumented Mexican immigrant living in Nashville, was on her way home from a doctor’s appointment with her three children when was pulled over by local police and arrested for driving without a license. The offense was a misdemeanor, but the officer detained her because he suspected that […]
Anything But “Secure”
Last week, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced a small policy change in its Secure Communities Program (discussed below, in a news story from the current issue of Ms. magazine). The new policy would ensure that immigrants charged with minor traffic violations would not be flagged for deportation–unless they’re convicted. Immigration rights activists called […]
Women Immigrants Have Their Say About Georgia’s HB 87
Claudia is an undocumented immigrant who moved to Georgia from Honduras in 2006. Shortly after arriving, she found herself in an abusive, violent relationship; her husband was able to control her in part by using the threat of deportation. She explained: “I was too scared to call the police. Would they arrest me or the […]
The Care Crisis
Job creation is the word of the day. In his speech on Thursday night, President Obama outlined his proposal to reinvigorate a stagnating economy. It included a mix of tax cuts, aid to small businesses, federal money for infrastructure projects and a commitment to the public sector. The goal, quite simply, is to put Americans […]
Behind Closed Doors: Arnold and Domestic Workers’ Rights
The media has been abuzz with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “sex scandal”–the all-too-common story of a powerful man in an extramarital relationship that resulted in the birth of a child. But what’s been little noted is the equally common power imbalance at play between Arnold and his housekeeper: He was her employer, she was a domestic worker. […]
The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Remembered
This month marks the 100th anniversary of the worst industrial disaster in New York City history: the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. One hundred forty-six young women lost their lives, a few as young as 14. Some burned to death. Others jumped nine stories rather than perish in flames. The garment sweatshop workers were trapped in […]
Who’s Inciting Violence–Frances Fox Piven or Glenn Beck?
She’s responsible for collapsing the economic system! Inciting violence! And adhering to Communism! Would you believe that Fox News bloviator Glenn Beck was talking about a 78-year-old distinguished woman professor of sociology at the City University of New York? While Beck is well known for his hyperbole and extremist claims, his pointed attacks on Frances […]
Domestic Worker Bill of Rights Passes New York Senate
New York State is on the verge of enacting the first ever bill of rights for domestic workers. This week the state Senate passed the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights by a vote of 33-28. A similar bill was passed by the New York State Assembly last year. Once the two bills are reconciled, it will […]