Catherine's highlights from the We Dream in Black Organizing Institute

Tyrik

We Dream in Black Houston Worker Leader

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

My first year at the We Dream in Black Organizing Institute was 2023. This is year 2 for me back in Atlanta, Georgia.

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 We Dream in Black Organizing Institute was infectious and uplifting. I didn’t know what to expect but everyone’s energy was on 10!!! Every chapter brought high energy and it was welcoming, it was a brotherhood and sisterhood.  The church service at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church was uplighting. Leaving I felt motivated like never before to get work done because I had gathered so much information I wanted to share with other domestic workers in my city.  Listening to Former Georgia State Representative Stacy Abrams left me ready to get to work.

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

The We Dream in Black Organizing Institutes are important because we need to remember our common goal to elevate each other. Our fellowship is like a family reunion. We spend time discussing our achievements and the hard work we have been doing all year. We need to celebrate our work while envisioning our dreams for the work ahead.

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

The space We Dream in Black has created is welcoming – educational – non-judgmental – diverse and filled with love. We are learning from each other’s cultures from across the diaspora while also learning different perspectives about other people’s lives. We are in the business of breaking down the stereotypes. We Dream in Black carves out time and space to celebrate our resilience as we lean into our Black joy as Black people.

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

I want the We Dream in Black Organizing Institute to grow across the country and scale up to reach more domestic workers. To do this we will need more Black domestic workers, speakers, and more talent in the organization. We need a convention for Black domestic workers to continue building one and learning from each other.

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.