An Unbossed Black Future

Deborah

We Dream in Black NY Worker Leader

Is this your first We Dream in Black Organizing Institute?  If not, which other ones did you attend? 

The We Dream in Black Organizing Institutes I  previously attended were in 2020, 2021, and 2022 virtually, and my first in-person Institute was in Atlanta, Georgia in 2023. 

How would you describe the energy and environment of the Organizing Institute to someone who has never been to one? How did you feel after leaving the institute?

The energy at the Organizing Institutes is phenomenal. 2023 the first time back in person post-pandemic and it was great for us to interact in person. The opportunity to embrace other members I had met via Zoom was epic. Feeling the presence of the ancestors as we navigated space in Atlanta was life-changing. Networking and building with others from various backgrounds and cultures was a beautiful experience. Leaving the Organizing Institute I was ready to take it to the next level, taking the training I received and the power I felt to share with other workers in my chapter. The We Dream in Black Organizing Institute centers community and healing for Black domestic workers. At the core, we focus on how we care for and support each other. The mural tour hosted by the WeDream in Black-GA chapter and meeting with Dorothy Bolden’s family were memorable moments listening to them as they shared about their mother and her journey. We can honor the life and work of domestic workers before us as we stand in our power creating a new way forward. 

Why are the institutes important for We Dream in Black to have?

We Dream in Black Organizing Institute is of vital importance as a space for Black domestic workers from across the diaspora to stand in their power. Our voices are heard and we can share our collective stories to free ourselves as a way to rewrite the wrongs. We are unapologetic and authentic as we embrace and support each other in this community.

What do you want people to know about the Organizing Institute?

We Dream in Black Organizing Institute is a place where we find our voice as we navigate the pathways as domestic workers. It’s a space to connect with a growing membership of strong Black women.

What do you hope to see the Organizing Institute become in the future?

We Dream in Black Organizing Institute was established to recognize the power of  Black domestic workers. In our society, we want to make visible the presence of Black domestic workers’ leaders in our community who are rooted and grounded in our purpose and in the legacy of other Black women who paved the way.

We Dream in Black: We Dream in Black (WeDiB) is an initiative of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and is the organizing home that centers the voices and experiences of Black, Afro-Latinx, and Afro-descendant domestic workers.