The work that makes all other work possible | Ai-jen Poo

Prevodilac: Dragana Savanovic Lektor: Ivana Krivokuća

I want to talk to you tonight

Večeras želim da vam govorim

about the work that makes all other work possible,

o poslu koji omogućava sve druge poslove,

about the millions of women who go to work in our homes

o milionima žena koje idu na posao u naše kuće

every single day,

svakog dana,

caring for children as nannies,

koje su dadilje našoj deci,

caring for our loved ones with disabilities and our elders,

koje brinu o našim voljenima sa invaliditetom i starijim licima,

as home care workers,

kao kućne negovateljice,

maintaining sanity in our homes as cleaners.

koje naše domove održavaju zdravim kao čistačice.

It's the work that makes all other work possible.

To je posao koji omogućava svaki drugi posao.

And it's mostly done by women, more than 90 percent women,

Rade ga uglavnom žene, više je od 90 procenata žena,

disproportionately women of color.

nesrazmerno, obojene žene.

And the work itself is associated with work that women have historically done,

Sam posao je povezan sa poslom koji su žene obavljale kroz istoriju,

work that's been made incredibly invisible

poslom koji je postao nevidljiv

and taken for granted in our culture.

i koji se u našoj kulturi uzima zdravo za gotovo.

But it's so fundamental to everything else in our world.

Ali predstavlja temelj za sve ostalo u našem svetu.

It makes it possible for all of us to go out and do what we do in the world

Omogućava svima nama da izađemo i radimo što i inače radimo

every single day,

svakoga dana,

knowing that the most precious aspects of our lives are in good hands.

znajući da su najdragoceniji aspekti naših života u dobrim rukama.

But we don't think about it that way.

Ali mi ne razmišljamo tako o tome.

It's almost defined by its invisibility.

Gotovo da taj posao definišemo njegovom nevidljivošću.

You could go into any neighborhood

Možete otići u bilo koje naselje,

and not know which homes are also workplaces.

a da ne znate koje kuće su ujedno i radna mesta.

There's no sign.

Nema znaka.

There's no list or registry.

Nema spiska ili registra.

It's just invisible.

Prosto je nevidljivo.

And it's this work that is not even referred to as real work.

Taj posao ni ne nazivaju pravim poslom.

It's referred to as "help."

Nazivaju ga „pomoć“.

It's often seen as unskilled,

Često ga smatraju nekvalifikovanim

not seen as professional.

i neprofesionalnim.

And race has played a profound role in how we value this work in our culture.

I rasa je igrala značajnu ulogu u vrednovanju ovog posla u našoj kulturi.

Some of the first domestic workers in the United States were black women

Neke od prvih kućepaziteljki u SAD-u su bile crnkinje

who were enslaved,

koje su bile robinje,

and racial exclusion has shaped their conditions for generations.

a rasna isključenost je oblikovala njihov položaj generacijama.

In the 1930s, when Congress was discussing the labor laws

Kada je Kongres 1930-ih razmatrao zakone o radu

that would be a part of the New Deal,

koji bi bili deo Novog poslovanja,

that would protect all workers,

koji bi štitili sve radnike,

Southern members of Congress refused to support those labor laws

južnjački članovi Kongresa su odbili da podrže te zakone o radu

if they included protections for domestic workers and farmworkers.

ako bi uključivali zaštitu kućepazitelja i farmera.

That history of racial exclusion

Ta istorija rasne isključivosti

and our cultural devaluing of work that's associated with women

i našeg kulturnog umanjivanja vrednosti poslova koji su povezani sa ženama

now means that millions of women go to work every single day,

sada znači da milioni žena idu na posao svakoga dana,

work incredibly hard

rade neverovatno naporno,

and still can't make ends meet.

a ipak ne mogu da spoje kraj s krajem.

They earn poverty wages without a safety net,

Zarađuju izuzetno malo bez mreže sigurnosti,

so that the women that we're counting on to take care of us and our families

pa žene na koje računamo da brinu o nama i našim porodicama

can't take care of their own, doing this work.

ne mogu da brinu o sebi, radeći ovaj posao.

But my work over the last 20 years has been about changing precisely that.

Moj posao u poslednjih 20 godina je bio da promenim upravo to.

It's about making these jobs good jobs that you can take pride in

Da od ovih poslova napravim dobre poslove kojima se možete ponositi

and support your family on.

i kojima možete izdržavati porodicu.

At the National Domestic Workers Alliance, we've been working hard in states

U Nacionalnom savezu kućepazitelja, naporno radimo širom Amerike

to pass new laws that will protect domestic workers from discrimination

na donošenju novih zakona koji će štititi kućepazitelje od diskriminacije

and sexual harassment,

i seksualnog uznemiravanja,

that will create days of rest, paid time off, even.

koji će uvesti odmore, čak i plaćena odsustva.

So far, eight states have passed domestic workers bills of rights.

Do sada, osam država je uvelo Povelju o pravima kućepazitelja.

Yes.

Da.

(Applause)

(Aplauz)

And during the Obama administration,

Tokom Obamine vlade,

we were successful in bringing two million home care workers

uspešno smo stavili dva miliona kućepaziteljki

under minimum wage and overtime protections

pod minimalnu zaradu i zaštitu od prekovremenog rada

for the first time since 1937.

prvi put od 1937. godine.

(Applause)

(Aplauz)

Most recently, we've been really excited to launch a new portable benefits platform

Nedavno smo bili jako uzbuđeni što smo pokrenuli novu platformu

for domestic workers, called "Alia,"

prenosivih pogodnosti za kućepazitelje zvanu „Alia“,

which allows for domestic workers with multiple clients

koja omogućava kućepaziteljima koji imaju više klijenata

to give them access to benefits for the very first time.

pristup povlasticama po prvi put.

So really important progress is being made.

Tako da se ostvaruje značajan napredak.

But I would argue tonight

Ali, večeras se zalažem

that one of the most important things that domestic workers can provide

da je jedna od najvažnijih stvari koju kućepaziteljke mogu da nam obezbede

is actually what they can teach us

ono čemu nas mogu naučiti

about humanity itself

o samoj ljudskosti

and about what it will take to create a more humane world for our children.

i o onome što je neophodno da stvorimo humaniji svet za našu decu.

In the face of extreme immorality,

Kada smo suočeni sa ekstremnim nemoralom,

domestic workers can be our moral compass.

kućepaziteljke mogu biti naš moralni kompas.

And it makes sense,

I to ima smisla,

because what they do is so fundamental

jer ono što rade je tako fundamentalno

to the very basics of human need and humanity.

do same srži ljudskih potreba i ljudskosti.

They are there when we are born into this world;

Tu su kada dolazimo na ovaj svet,

they shape who we become in this world;

oblikuju nas na ovom svetu

and they are with us as we prepare to leave this world.

i sa nama su kada treba da ga napustimo.

And their experiences with families are so varied.

Njihova iskustva sa porodicama su jako raznovrsna.

They have some relationships with the families that they work for

Neke od njih imaju odnose sa porodicama za koje rade

that are incredibly positive and mutually supportive

koji su jako pozitivni i puni podrške

and last for years and years.

i traju godinama.

And then the opposite also happens.

Dešava se i suprotno.

And we've seen cases of sexual violence and assault,

Videli smo slučajeve seksualnog nasilja i napada,

of extreme forms of abuse and exploitation.

ekstremnih oblika zlostavljanja i eksploatacije.

We've seen cases of human trafficking.

Imali smo slučajeve trgovine ljudima.

Domestic workers live in poor neighborhoods,

Kućepaziteljke žive u siromašnim naseljima,

and then they go to work in very wealthy ones.

a idu na posao u bogata naselja.

They cross cultures and generations and borders and boundaries,

One prevazilaze kulture, generacije i mnogo granica,

and their job, no matter what,

a njihov posao, bez obzira na sve,

is to show up and care --

je da se pojave i da brinu -

to nurture, to feed, to clothe, to bathe,

da neguju, hrane, oblače, kupaju,

to listen, to encourage,

da slušaju, ohrabruju,

to ensure safety,

da obezbede sigurnost,

to support dignity ...

da podrže dostojanstvo...

to care no matter what.

da brinu bez obzira na sve.

I want to tell you a story of a woman I met early on in this work.

Želim da vam ispričam o ženi koju sam upoznala na početku svog rada.

Her name is Lily.

Zove se Lili.

Lily and her family lived in Jamaica,

Lili i njena porodica su živeli na Jamajci,

and when she was 15 years old, she was approached by an American couple

i kada joj je bilo 15 godina, prišao joj je američki par

who were looking for a live-in nanny to come live with them

koji je tražio dadilju koja bi došla da živi sa njima

in the United States

u Sjedinjene Države

and help them care for their children.

i koja bi im pomogla oko njihove dece.

They offered Lily's family that if she came to work as their nanny,

Ponudili su Lilinoj porodici, ako ona dođe da radi kao njihova dadilja,

she would be able to have access to a US education,

da će imati pristup obrazovanju u SAD-u,

and she would have a weekly salary sent home to help her family financially.

i nedeljnu platu koju bi slala porodici kao finansijsku pomoć.

They decided it was a good idea

Odlučili su da je to dobra ideja

and decided to take the opportunity.

i da će iskoristiti tu šansu.

Lily held up her end of the bargain

Lili je održala svoj deo pogodbe

and helped to raise three children.

i pomogla je u odgajanju troje dece.

But all communication with her family was severed:

Ali svaka komunikacija sa njenom porodicom je bila prekinuta:

no letters, no phone calls.

ni pisama, ni poziva.

She was never allowed to go to school,

Nije joj bilo dozvoljeno da ide u školu,

and she was never paid --

i nije bila plaćena-

for 15 years.

15 godina.

One day, she saw an article in a newspaper about another domestic worker

Jednog dana, videla je članak u novinama o drugoj kućipaziteljki

with a really similar story to hers,

sa pričom jako sličnom njenoj,

another case that I was working on at the time,

još jedan slučaj na kome sam tada radila,

and she found a way to reach me.

i pronašla je način da dođe do mene.

She also found a way to reach her brother,

Takođe je pronašla način da dođe do brata,

who was living in the United States at the time as well.

koji je isto živeo u SAD-u tada.

Between the two of us, we were able to help her escape.

U tajnom dogovoru, pomogli smo joj da pobegne.

And she had the help of one of the children.

A imala je i pomoć jednog deteta.

One of the children was old enough to realize

Jedno od dece je bilo dovoljno odraslo da shvati

that the way his nanny was being treated was wrong,

da je način na koji tretiraju njegovu dadilju pogrešan,

and he gave her the money that he had been saving through his childhood

i dao joj je novac koji je štedeo celo detinjstvo

to help her escape.

da joj pomogne.

But here's the thing about this story.

Ali evo u čemu je stvar u ovoj priči.

She was essentially enslaved for 15 years.

U suštini, ona je bila rob 15 godina.

Human trafficking and slavery is a criminal offense.

Trgovina ljudima i ropstvo su krivična dela.

And so her lawyers and I asked Lily,

Njeni advokati i ja smo pitali Lili

did she want to press criminal charges for what had happened to her.

da li želi da podnese prijavu za ono što joj se desilo.

And after thinking about what it would mean,

Nakon što je razmislila šta bi to značilo,

she said no,

rekla je ne,

because she didn't want the children to be separated from their parents.

jer ne želi da deca budu odvojena od svojih roditelja.

Instead, we filed a civil lawsuit, and we eventually won the case,

Umesto toga, podneli smo građansku tužbu, i na kraju smo dobili slučaj,

and her case became a rallying cry for domestic workers everywhere.

i njen slučaj je postao ratni poklič za kućepaziteljke svuda.

She was reunited with her family and went on to have a family of her own.

Ponovo je bila na okupu sa porodicom, a kasnije je zasnovala i svoju.

But the thing that's so profound to me about this story

Ono što je za mene jako duboko u ovoj priči je što,

is, despite having 15 years stolen from her life,

iako su joj ukrali 15 godina života,

it did not affect the care and compassion that she felt for the children.

to nije uticalo na brigu i saosećanje koje je gajila prema toj deci.

And I see this from domestic workers all the time.

I to stalno uočavam kod kućepaziteljki.

In the face of indignities

Uprkos poniženjima

and our failure to respect and value this work in our culture,

i tome što ne poštujemo i ne vrednujemo ovaj posao u našoj kulturi,

they still show up,

oni se ipak pojave

and they care.

i brinu.

They're simply too proximate to our shared humanity.

One su prosto previše bliske našoj zajedničkoj ljudskosti.

They know how your toddler likes to be held

Oni znaju kako vaše dete voli da ga drže

as they take their bottle before a nap.

dok uzima flašicu pre dremke.

They know how your mother likes her tea,

Znaju kakav čaj vaša majka voli,

how to make her smile and tell stories despite her dementia.

kako da je nasmejete i pričate joj priče, uprkos njenoj demenciji.

They are so proximate to our humanity.

Toliko su bliske našoj ljudskosti.

They know that at the end of the day,

Znaju da su, na kraju krajeva,

these are people who are part of families --

ovi ljudi deo porodica -

someone's mother,

nečija majka,

someone's grandmother,

nečija baka,

someone's best friend

nečiji najbolji prijatelj

and someone's baby;

i nečije dete;

undeniably human,

da su nesumnjivo ljudi,

and therefore, not disposable.

i da, stoga, nisu za jednokratnu upotrebu.

Domestic workers know that any time a single person becomes disposable,

Svaki put kada jedna osoba postane potrošna, kućepaziteljke znaju

it's a slippery slope.

da je to tanak led.

You see, the cultural devaluing of domestic work

Vidite, kulturno obezvređivanje kućepaziteljki

is a reflection of a hierarchy of human value

je odraz hijerarhije ljudske vrednosti

that defines everything in our world,

koja definiše sve u našem svetu,

a hierarchy that values the lives and contributions

hijerarhije koja ceni živote i doprinose

of some groups of people over others,

nekih grupa ljudi više od drugih,

based on race, gender,

na osnovu rase, pola,

class, immigration status --

klase, imigracionog statusa

any number of categories.

i mnogo drugih kategorija.

And that hierarchy of human value requires stories about those groups of people

Ta hijerarhija ljudskih vrednosti zahteva priče o tim grupama ljudi

in order to sustain itself.

kako bi se održala.

So these stories have seeped deep into our culture

Ove priče su se infiltrirale duboko u našu kulturu,

about how some people are less intelligent,

o tome kako su neki ljudi manje inteligentni,

some people are less intuitive,

neki manje intuitivni,

weaker,

slabiji,

by extension, less trustworthy,

nadalje, nepouzdaniji,

less valuable

manje vredni

and ultimately,

i na kraju,

less human.

manje ljudi.

And domestic workers know it's a slippery slope

A kućepaziteljke znaju da je tanak led

when we start to see a worker as less than a real worker,

kada radnika posmatramo manje kao radnika,

to a woman as less than a woman,

ženu manje kao ženu,

to a mother as less than a mother,

majku manje kao majku,

to a child as less than a child.

a dete manje kao dete.

In the spring of 2018,

U proleće 2018. godine,

the Trump administration announced a new policy at the US-Mexico border,

Trampova uprava je najavila novu politiku na meksičko-američkoj granici,

a zero-tolerance policy,

politiku nulte tolerancije,

to forcibly separate all children from their parents,

kako bi na silu odvojila svu decu od roditelja

who were arriving at the border seeking asylum;

koji su dolazili na granicu tražeći azil;

children as young as 18 months, separated from their parents

decu staru samo 18 meseci bi odvojili od roditelja,

after a long and arduous journey to reach the US-Mexico border

nakon dugog i napornog puta kako bi stigli na granicu

in search of safety and a new beginning.

u potrazi za sigurnošću i novim početkom.

Thousands of children separated.

Hiljade dece je odvojeno.

And because they were migrants,

I zato što su bili migranti,

they were treated as less than children.

tretirani su manje kao deca.

In response, I helped to organize the Families Belong Together Vigil

Zato sam pomogla u organizaciji bdenja „Porodice pripadaju zajedno“

at the Ursula Border Patrol Processing Center in McAllen, Texas,

u Obradnom centru granične kontrole Ursula u Makalenu, u Teksasu,

on Father's Day.

na Dan očeva.

Inside that processing center, there were hundreds of children

U tom obradnom centru bilo je stotine dece

who were being held, processed

koja su zadržana, ispitana

and then prepared to be shipped all over country

i zatim pripremljena za transport širom zemlje

to be jailed in facilities hundreds of miles away from their parents.

kako bi bila zatvorena u ustanove stotinama milja daleko od roditelja.

I saw with my own eyes

Svojim očima sam videla

children not [old] enough for kindergarten

decu nedovoljno staru za vrtić

in unmarked buses,

u neobeleženim autobusima,

being shipped off to jails hundreds of miles away.

transportovanu u zatvore stotinama milja daleko.

And as they passed us by,

A dok su prolazili pored nas,

they reached for us through the windows,

posezali su za nama kroz prozore,

as we stood vigil to let them know that they are not alone,

dok smo stajali bdijući nad njima kako bi znali da nisu sami,

and we are fighting for them.

i da se borimo za njih.

Domestic workers came from all over Texas to be a part of the vigil.

Kućepazitelji su stigli iz celog Teksasa da budu deo bdenja.

They saw in those families their own family stories.

U tim porodicama su videli sopstvene porodične priče.

They had also come here in search of safety and a new beginning,

I oni su stigli ovde u potrazi za sigurnošću i novim početkom,

a better life for their families,

boljim životom za svoje porodice,

and they saw in the eyes of those children

i u očima te dece su videli

their own children.

sopstvenu decu.

And through our tears,

Kroz suze

we looked at each other and we asked each other,

smo gledali jedni druge i pitali se:

"How did we get here,

„Kako smo stigli do ovoga,

to putting children in cages

da stavljamo decu u kaveze

and separating them from the people who love them the most in the world?"

i odvajamo ih od osoba koje ih vole najviše na svetu?“

How?

Kako?

And what I thought to myself was: if domestic workers were in charge,

Pomislila sam u sebi: da su kućepaziteljke nadležne,

this never would have happened.

ovo se nikada ne bi desilo.

Our humanity would never have been so disposable

Naša ljudskost nikada ne bi bila tako potrošna

that we would be treating children in this way.

da bismo tretirali decu na ovaj način.

The Dalai Lama once said that love and compassion are necessities,

Dalaj Lama je jednom rekao da su ljubav i saosećanje potreba,

not luxuries.

ne luksuz.

Without them, humanity cannot survive.

Bez njih, čovečanstvo ne može da preživi.

In other words, they are fundamental to human existence.

Drugim rečima, oni su neophodni za ljudsko postojanje.

Domestic workers are in charge of the fundamentals.

Kućepaziteljke su nadležne za osnove.

They love and they care,

One vole i brinu,

and they show compassion no matter what.

i pokazuju saosećanje bez obzira na sve.

We live in a time of moral choices

Živimo u vreme moralnih odluka

everywhere we turn:

gde god se nalazimo:

at the border,

na granici,

at the ballot box,

pored glasačke kutije,

in our workplaces,

na našim radnim mestima,

right in our homes, full of moral choices.

u našim domovima, puno je moralnih odluka.

As you go about your day and you encounter these moral choices,

Dok idete za svojim obavezama i srećete se sa ovim moralnim izborima,

think of Lily.

setite se Lili.

Think like Lily.

Razmišljajte kao Lili.

Think like a domestic worker who shows up and cares no matter what.

Razmišljajte kao kućepaziteljka koja se pojavi i brine bez obzira na sve.

Love and compassion, no matter what.

Ljubav i saosećanje, bez obzira na sve.

Show up like a domestic worker,

Pojavite se kao kućepaziteljka,

because our children are counting on us.

jer naša deca računaju na nas.

Thank you.

Hvala vam.

(Applause)

(Aplauz)