Ep. 91 - Care, Commodified

Women who cross the border to perform care work for American families—cleaning their homes, running their errands, and raising their kids—number among the most hidden and undervalued laborers in our society. Too often, their voices go unheard. On this episode, Commonweal associate editor Regina Munch speaks with Elizabeth Cummins Muñoz, a lecturer at Rice University and author of Mothercoin: The Stories of Immigrant Nannies. Cummins Muñoz points out that while these workers don't see themselves as “victims,” the conflict between providing care and being paid to do it—sometimes at the expense of one's own family—can be devastating. For further reading: “The Empowerment Trap,” Emma McDonald “Putting Ourselves Together Again,” Rebecca Bratten Weiss “The Feminist Wife,” Kate Lucky