Meet the 2021 - 2022 Cohort
![Meet the 2021 - 2022 Cohort]()
Pop Culture Worker Council
Pop Culture Worker Council
Allen Galleon is a skilled domestic worker and social activist. He approaches his work with intention and humility and is passionate about caregiving and inclusive worker rights for the ‘marginalized.’ Allen co-rallies with the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) to improve work conditions and uplift dignity and respect for migrant workers. As a member leader of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA)’s Pop Culture Worker Council, he uses his voice and lived experience to transform how domestic work is portrayed in the media. Allen shares his personal stories to ensure greater equity in mainstream narratives on caregiving and to influence how audiences think, feel, and behave towards the industry. Additionally, as a Care Fellow in the Caring Across Generations (CAG) network, Allen regularly engages in a multi-racial, intergenerational cohort of caregiver activists in changing the ways caregiving is seen, valued, and supported. He is a resident of Los Angeles, wholeheartedly caring for his 80-year-old mom and 6-year-old son.
Crystal Gail is a sought-after coach, speaker, content creator, and domestic worker advocate from Atlanta, GA that empowers a community of leaders to release their power within and become The WOW. Crystal is a NDWA board member where she serves as an advocate for all domestic workers. She is also a proud member leader of We Dream in Black where she has worked to break barriers for Black domestic workers. Now that she is a retired nanny of 18 years, she has dedicated her time to helping domestic workers step into leadership roles and find balance while using her social media platforms to empower all domestic workers across the globe. While on the Pop Culture council, Crystal’s biggest lesson learned has been that her story matters. Whether you are dealing with the chaos of life or living your best life, Crystal wants to remind you that you are enough and every day is a great day to be The WOW.
I am a Latina immigrant from Honduras. Thanks be to God, I’m a wife, mother of three children, and Sunday school teacher. I am a domestic worker and member of Casa Latina Seattle; a worker center that provides trainings, job opportunities, and community resources. I was an active leader in the campaign to pass the first-ever local domestic workers ordinance in Seattle and was part of the outreach team to let domestic workers know about the benefits of this new law. I continue to organize for domestic workers’ rights in Seattle. I’m also a We Make History workshop facilitator sharing how our ancestors fought for better conditions and pay. As a leader of the Pop Culture Worker Council, I learned the importance of telling our stories and sharing them around the world so that we are valued and society knows about the reality and challenges domestic workers must face. I’m also a Mary Kay beauty consultant and enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, watching movies, and camping.
I am Jade Gonzalez and am a state-registered homecare aide from the Philippines and a Los Angeles resident for the last six years. Coming to the US was a matter of survival. My career in sales and marketing in the Philippine advertising industry wasn’t enough to provide for my family, so I fled to the US in 2016 and worked as a live-in caregiver a week after my arrival, providing 24-hour care to a female stroke-impaired client. I rarely had a day off and experienced wage theft. Being new to this country, I didn’t know I was underpaid by my employer, a caregiving agency. I grew to love my client and was deeply saddened when she passed two years later. Since then I have worked as a homecare worker for various clients here in Los Angeles. I am an undocumented immigrant and an essential careworker, hopeful for a pathway to citizenship for essential careworkers like me.
Kara “Kalypso” Levy is a member-leader of the Houston We Dream in Black chapter. She runs a monthly Kinship Circle. Kara is also on the Harris County Essential Workers Board. When she is not contributing to her local chapter, she helps other business startups and educates people on financial planning. As a domestic worker, Kara went from cleaning houses as a side gig to a registered business owner with government, commercial, and residential contracts. She is a gifted storyteller and uses her narrative skills in all aspects of life. Kara’s favorite job title is ‘Mother-in-Chief.’ She is mom to Ivy, 8, and Isai, 6 as well as a fur baby, Gates.
My name is Kieran M Clarke. I was born in Saint Lucia and live in Brooklyn, New York. I am the oldest of 10 siblings. I am a member leader of the We Dream in Black New York Chapter and on the Home Care Worker Council of NDWA. I am also a certified lactation counselor and birth and postpartum doula with a background in nutrition and agriculture. I have been a domestic worker for 21 years,10 years as a nanny, and 11 years as an elder caregiver for persons with dementia. As Pop Culture Worker Council members, it is our responsibility to share with the world who we are as domestic workers. We want stories that show the professionalism of our work and feature our lives outside of work too. We are active multi-cultural and multi-lingual community leaders with a variety of skill sets. My vision is for domestic workers to go to work feeling safe and dignified and for us to transform the one-dimensional stories too often portrayed of us on tv and in film. Self-care is important for us too, and I take care of myself by enjoying karaoke, nature, dancing, and listening to old-school jams.
I am Laura Rubio, a proud domestic worker, and resident of East Palo Alto, CA. I’m originally from Michoacán Mexico, where the monarch butterflies migrate, and like them, I am also a migrant. I’m also a tenant, worker, and mother of two children. I migrated here with only one dream; a wish for a better life for my children, but also I found many opportunities for me too. I began as a volunteer, and am now a leader in my community. I’m a member of the Latino Committee for the local tenants’ rights board. I also sit on my city’s rent control compliance board. I volunteer in vaccination clinics. As a leader of the Pop Culture Worker Council, I’ve learned the histories and stories of the first domestic workers here in this country, about their lives, and the years they dedicated to organizing for domestic workers. They inspire confidence, strength, and persistence to continue. There is art and creativity in how we make beds, clean bathrooms, and take care of people. We are beings human, we have rights, we listen, we feel, and we have a voice. We exist!
I am Lucia Aguilar and I am a domestic worker, working for many years as a nanny and house cleaner. I was born in Michoacan and raised in La Paz, Baja California Sur in Mexico. I enjoy cooking, specializing in tacos al vapor, and pozole. I am married with two children. I have been an active member leader of CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) for the last eight years. I door knock to get out the vote and travel to DC and Sacramento to advocate for immigration reform. I’m proud of my 18-year-old daughter who is also a member of CHIRLA and fights for immigrant rights. As a member of the Pop Culture Council, I traveled to Atlanta and built solidarity across communities. As a spokesperson, I can speak to the importance of domestic worker narratives in tv and film that bring dignity and value to who we are. I’m an active member of the Sierra Club and the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice (PCEJ) in San Bernardino working to end environmental pollution in our county. For CHIRLA Action Fund, we meet with candidates to determine how, if elected, they will support and strengthen our community with the resources and legislation needed.
Pamela Grisham was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a guru when it comes to caring for her family and others. She is a compassionate author, teacher, mother, activist, advocate, agriculturalist, therapist, and caregiver. She has a passion for advocating for children, women, and their families. She is deeply moved by her journey as a family caregiver and knows how imperative it is to have support and tools to care for others, such as family therapy. As the founder of Rooted In My Belly, Pamela’s platform supports individuals’ mental and physical wellness as well as empowers families to share their stories and create sustainable lives. As a Pop Culture Worker Council leader, she was trained to share her story in a more impactful way. And now assists others in telling their stories, making sure all voices are heard. She wants domestic workers to be treated with dignity and respect and to work with the entertainment industry to shift how stories of domestic workers are portrayed on screen. Pamela enjoys writing, storytelling, preparing amazing cuisines, and spending time with her family. She is a daredevil and hopes to add motorcyclist to her many hats.
My name is Rukmani Bhattarai Adhikari. I am from Nepal and live in Queens. I am a nanny and work in New York City. I am also a lead trainer of the We Rise nanny training and am an active member of Adhikaar. I’m a lifelong learner who loves opportunities to share stories. When I’m not at work, I enjoy dancing, singing, and posting TikTok videos for friends and family.
Shaylan Dolmo is a founder and president of the ALA Garifuna Women of We Dream in Black, Seattle, WA affiliate. ALA Garifuna joined NDWA in 2020 as a group of domestic worker leaders. Shaylan is a mother of four and married to Vidal Leiva. She was born and raised in Honduras in the Garifuna community of Aguan. Her leadership and cultural work focus on the Garifuna community and building across communities to empower and inspire women from different backgrounds through art and Garifuna culture. She is currently attending Shoreline Community College pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in accounting and is passionate about providing community services and support. Shaylan is also a care worker assisting elders in private homes.
My name is Silvia Castaño. I am Nicaraguan and by the grace of God, managed to reach the US. I’m a mother, house cleaner, writer, and entrepreneur. I also volunteer with Border Workers United (BWU), serving as president of their advisory board, and am part of the Malcriadas Fronterizas Writers Collective, completing a transnational artist residency with (An)danzas based in Santiago, Chile. In 2018, I surveyed over 40 women for NDWA’s Living in the Shadows: Latina Domestic Workers in the Texas-Mexico Border Region report. I’ve worked with BWU and Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid (TRALA) to create the first employment contract for domestic worker members. We launched a campaign to officially recognize International Domestic Workers Day in Cameron County and with the Brownsville City Council, also introducing a local ordinance against wage theft. Through BWU’s Economic Freedom project, Las Imaginistas, I also have my own gastronomy business selling traditional Nicaraguan food at the local farmer’s market where we are working to build a permanent location. I continue to lobby Congress to support our national Bill of Rights for domestic workers and am part of the inaugural Pop Culture Worker Council.
Tara A. Moore was born in Akron, Ohio, and a graduate of Central Hower High School. She enrolled in the Ohio Center for Broadcasting (OCB) to become a radio host, and while attending school, fell in love with television writing and production. After graduating from OCB, she studied communications, broadcasting, journalism video, and audio editing at Stark State College. After receiving her degree, Tara relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina where she hosted a broadcast show called, Touch Me Not Radio, under the leadership of WDRB MEDIA. This is where Tara became Savvy Sistah! Savvy Sistah shares stories of challenges and resilience during her upbringing and now as a care worker. Touch Me Not!! is a community-driven broadcast. They have a passion for serving their community and work toward the greater good. In addition, Savvy is a member leader of the National Domestic Worker Alliance and We Dream in Black, North Carolina Chapter and is affiliated with Wired Entertainment, Hostile Water Entertainment, Civic Communications 3000, and Community Unity Center.
Tasha B. Wilson is an educator, writer, community organizer, and lover of all things making real change in the community. She holds a Master’s degree in Communications from the Univerisity of St. Thomas, Houston. She’s a Louisiana native turned Texan. In addition to journalism, Tasha is also passionate about her career in special and early childhood education. For the past six years, she has been a certified nanny and postpartum doula while also being a family caregiver for her mom. She is an active member leader and former Dorothy Bolden fellow (2021) with We Dream in Black Houston Chapter, a program of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. She is also a former fellow with Caring Across Generations (2021) and Groundbreakers (2022). Tasha Braggs Wilson is an active member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (Lambda Omega Sigma Chapter Spring, TX). When she is not out making a change in the world, she enjoys adventures with her husband Kevin and serving with him at Bammel Church of Christ in Houston, TX in various ministries.