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

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

I want to talk to you tonight

今晚我想和大家談的是

about the work that makes all other work possible,

有一種工作，它讓所有 其他工作成為可能，

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

有數百萬的女性， 到我們的家裡工作，

every single day,

每一天，

caring for children as nannies,

以褓姆身分照顧我們的孩子，

caring for our loved ones with disabilities and our elders,

以家庭照護者的身分， 照顧我們有殘疾的愛人

as home care workers,

以及家中的老人，

maintaining sanity in our homes as cleaners.

以清潔人員的身分， 維護我們家中的衛生。

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

這種工作，讓所有 其他工作成為可能。

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

做這種工作的大部分 是女性，超過九成，

disproportionately women of color.

有色人種的女性，這比例非常高。

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

這種工作本身和女性 在歷史上所做的工作有關，

work that's been made incredibly invisible

在我們的文化中， 這種工作完全不會被看見，

and taken for granted in our culture.

且被視為理所當然。

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

但我們世界上所有其他的一切 都以這種工作為基礎。

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

它讓我們所有人可以走出去， 到世界上去做我們在做的事，

every single day,

每一天，

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

且我們知道我們人生中 最珍貴的面向有被好好照顧著。

But we don't think about it that way.

但我們卻不是這麼想的。

It's almost defined by its invisibility.

它幾乎被它那 不被看見的特性所定義。

You could go into any neighborhood

你可以到任何鄰里中，

and not know which homes are also workplaces.

卻不知道哪些住家也是工作地點。

There's no sign.

沒有招牌。

There's no list or registry.

沒有名單或是登記處。

It's just invisible.

它就是看不見的。

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

這種工作甚至 不被稱為是真的工作。

It's referred to as "help."

它被稱為是「協助」。

It's often seen as unskilled,

通常，大家認為它不需要技能，

not seen as professional.

不認為它是種專業。

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

在我們的文化中，

我們如何看待這種工作的價值 和種族有很大的關係。

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

在美國，最早的 家庭傭工是黑人女性，

who were enslaved,

她們被奴役，

and racial exclusion has shaped their conditions for generations.

種族排擠形塑出了 他們數個世代的條件。

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

國會在 1930 年代討論的勞工法

that would be a part of the New Deal,

會成為羅斯福新政的一部分，

that would protect all workers,

那些法律能保護所有勞工，

Southern members of Congress refused to support those labor laws

國會的南方成員拒絕 支持這些勞工法律，

if they included protections for domestic workers and farmworkers.

因為家庭傭工和農場勞工的 保護被納入其中。

That history of racial exclusion

那段種族排擠的歷史

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

以及我們的文化對於 女性相關工作的貶低，

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

現在就意味著有數百萬 女性每天要去工作，

work incredibly hard

非常努力，

and still can't make ends meet.

但仍然無法收支平衡。

They earn poverty wages without a safety net,

她們的薪資極低，

又沒有安全網，

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

所以，雖然我們仰賴這些女性 來照顧我們和我們的家人，

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

她們卻無法靠這份工作 來照顧自己的家庭。

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

但我過去二十多年的工作 就是在改變這個現象。

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

重點是要讓這些工作變成 好工作，你可以引以為榮，

and support your family on.

靠它來維持家庭生計。

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

在全國家庭傭工聯盟， 我們一直在各州努力，

to pass new laws that will protect domestic workers from discrimination

要求通過新法律， 來保護家庭傭工不受

歧視和性騷擾，

and sexual harassment,

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

甚至會給他們幾天有薪假來休息。

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

目前，有八個州已經通過了 家庭傭工權利法案。

Yes.

是的。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And during the Obama administration,

在歐巴馬執政期間，

we were successful in bringing two million home care workers

我們成功讓兩百萬名家庭照護傭工

under minimum wage and overtime protections

受到最低薪資和加班工作的保障，

for the first time since 1937.

這是 1937 年以來第一次實現。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

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

最近，我們很興奮能夠推出 一個新的可攜式福利平台，

for domestic workers, called "Alia,"

供家庭傭工使用，叫做「Alia」，

which allows for domestic workers with multiple clients

它有考量到服務 多位客戶的家庭傭工，

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

讓他們第一次能夠取得福利。

So really important progress is being made.

這是很重大的進展。

But I would argue tonight

但今晚我要談的是，

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

家庭傭工能夠帶給我們 最重要的東西之一，

is actually what they can teach us

就是他們能夠教導我們的教訓，

about humanity itself

包括關於人性本身，

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

以及關於要投入多少才能為我們的 孩子打造一個更人性的世界。

In the face of extreme immorality,

在面對極端不道德時，

domestic workers can be our moral compass.

家庭傭工可以成為 我們的道德羅盤。

And it makes sense,

這是合理的，

because what they do is so fundamental

因為他們所做的事，是人類需求

to the very basics of human need and humanity.

以及人性中最根本、最基本的事。

They are there when we are born into this world;

當我們出生進入這個世界時， 他們就在那裡了；

they shape who we become in this world;

他們形塑出我們在這個 世界中會變成什麼樣子；

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

當我們準備離開這個世界時 他們也在我們身邊。

And their experiences with families are so varied.

他們在不同家庭的遭遇各有不同。

They have some relationships with the families that they work for

有些和僱主的家庭有一些關係，

that are incredibly positive and mutually supportive

是非常正面，且相互支持的關係，

and last for years and years.

能夠持續很多年。

And then the opposite also happens.

但也有人的遭遇截然不同。

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

我們見過性暴力和性侵害的案例，

of extreme forms of abuse and exploitation.

還有虐待和剝削的極端形式。

We've seen cases of human trafficking.

我們見過人口販運的案例。

Domestic workers live in poor neighborhoods,

家庭傭工住在很貧窮的鄰里，

and then they go to work in very wealthy ones.

接著他們去非常富裕的鄰里工作。

They cross cultures and generations and borders and boundaries,

他們要跨越文化、世代、

邊界、界限，

and their job, no matter what,

不論如何，他們的工作

is to show up and care --

就是要露面並進行照顧——

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

要養育、餵食、 協助穿衣、協助洗澡、

to listen, to encourage,

傾聽、鼓勵、

to ensure safety,

確保安全、

to support dignity ...

支持尊嚴……

to care no matter what.

不論如何都要進行照顧。

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

我想告訴各位一個故事， 關於我工作早期遇到的一位女子。

Her name is Lily.

她的名字叫莉莉。

Lily and her family lived in Jamaica,

莉莉和她的家人住在牙買加，

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

當她十五歲時， 有一對美國夫妻找上她，

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

他們在找住在受僱處的褓姆， 要到美國和他們同住，

in the United States

and help them care for their children.

協助他們照顧他們的孩子。

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

他們開給莉莉家的條件是， 如果她來當他們的褓姆，

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

她就能在美國受教育，

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

她會領週薪，可以寄回家 在財務上協助家人。

They decided it was a good idea

她們一家認為這是個 好點子，決定抓住機會。

and decided to take the opportunity.

Lily held up her end of the bargain

莉莉有履行她的承諾，

and helped to raise three children.

協助養育三個孩子。

But all communication with her family was severed:

但她和家人的所有通訊都斷了：

no letters, no phone calls.

沒有信件，沒有電話。

She was never allowed to go to school,

她不被允許去上學，

and she was never paid --

且她從來沒有領到錢——

for 15 years.

長達十五年。

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

有一天，她在報紙上 看到一篇文章，

寫到另一位和她 遭遇相似的家庭傭工，

with a really similar story to hers,

another case that I was working on at the time,

我當時正在處理那位勞工的案子，

and she found a way to reach me.

她想辦法聯絡到我。

She also found a way to reach her brother,

她也想辦法聯絡到她的兄弟，

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

他那時也住在美國。

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

我們兩個人聯手協助她逃離。

And she had the help of one of the children.

且她還有得到 其中一位孩子的協助。

One of the children was old enough to realize

其中一位孩子年紀夠大，能夠理解

that the way his nanny was being treated was wrong,

他的褓姆沒有受到妥當的對待，

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

他把他從小存的錢給她， 協助她逃離。

to help her escape.

But here's the thing about this story.

但這個故事當中有一個重點。

She was essentially enslaved for 15 years.

實質上她被奴役了十五年。

Human trafficking and slavery is a criminal offense.

人口販運和奴役會觸犯刑法。

And so her lawyers and I asked Lily,

所以，莉莉的律師和我都問莉莉，

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

她想不想要針對 她的遭遇提出刑事訴訟。

And after thinking about what it would mean,

在思考過這背後的意涵之後，

she said no,

她說不，

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

因為她不希望那些孩子 和自己的父母分開。

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

所以我們改提出民法訴訟， 且最後是我們贏了，

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

她的案子變成了對各地 家庭傭工的一種號召。

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

她和她的家人重聚， 自己也成立了家庭。

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

但，這個故事中 讓我感受很深的是，

is, despite having 15 years stolen from her life,

儘管她的人生中 有十五年被偷走了，

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

卻沒有影響到她對於 那些孩子的和藹和照顧。

And I see this from domestic workers all the time.

我常常在家庭傭工 身上看到這種特質。

In the face of indignities

當他們面對沒有尊嚴的情況，

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

我們的文化沒有能夠 尊重和珍視他們的工作，

they still show up,

他們仍然會露面去工作，

and they care.

且他們還會進行照顧。

They're simply too proximate to our shared humanity.

他們只是太接近我們共有的人性。

They know how your toddler likes to be held

他們知道你們的學步兒童 在午睡前拿著奶瓶時

as they take their bottle before a nap.

喜歡怎樣被抱著。

They know how your mother likes her tea,

他們知道你們的母親 喜歡怎麼泡出來的茶，

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

如何逗她笑及讓她說故事， 即便她有失憶症。

They are so proximate to our humanity.

他們非常接近我們的人性。

They know that at the end of the day,

他們知道，到頭來，

these are people who are part of families --

這些人都是家庭的一份子——

someone's mother,

是某人的母親，

someone's grandmother,

某人的祖母，

someone's best friend

某人最好的朋友，

and someone's baby;

某人的心肝寶貝；

undeniably human,

無可否認，他們都是人，

and therefore, not disposable.

因此，不是可隨意對待的。

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

家庭傭工知道，任何時候，

只要一個人變成可以隨意對待，

it's a slippery slope.

就會導致一連串災難。

You see, the cultural devaluing of domestic work

我們的文化將 家庭傭工的工作貶低，

is a reflection of a hierarchy of human value

其實是反映出 人類價值的等級制度，

that defines everything in our world,

這種等級制度定義了 我們世界上的一切，

a hierarchy that values the lives and contributions

這種等級制度重視 一些族群的生命和貢獻

of some groups of people over others,

多於其他族群，

based on race, gender,

其根據包括種族、性別、

class, immigration status --

階級、移民身分——

any number of categories.

數不清的類別。

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

而這種人類價值的等級制度會需要

那些族群的故事，才能維持下去。

in order to sustain itself.

So these stories have seeped deep into our culture

所以，這些故事就深深 滲入到我們的文化中，

about how some people are less intelligent,

故事會說到某些人比較沒有才智，

some people are less intuitive,

某些人比較沒有直覺，

weaker,

比較弱，

by extension, less trustworthy,

延伸的意思就是， 比較不值得信任，

less valuable

比較沒有價值，

and ultimately,

最終，

less human.

就是比較次等的人。

And domestic workers know it's a slippery slope

家庭傭工知道 這會帶來一連串的災難，

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

當我們開始把一個勞工視為

不如一個真正的勞工，

to a woman as less than a woman,

把一個女人視為不如一個女人，

to a mother as less than a mother,

把一個母親視為不如一個母親，

to a child as less than a child.

把一個孩子視為不如一個孩子。

In the spring of 2018,

在 2018 年春季，

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

川普政府宣佈一項新的 美墨邊境政策，

a zero-tolerance policy,

一項毫無通融的政策，

to forcibly separate all children from their parents,

強迫到邊境尋求避難者，

和他們所有的孩子分離，

who were arriving at the border seeking asylum;

children as young as 18 months, separated from their parents

有些孩子才十八個月大， 就被和他們的父母分開，

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

他們先前是走過漫長又艱鉅的 旅行才到達美墨邊境的，

in search of safety and a new beginning.

他們只想來尋找安全和新的開始。

Thousands of children separated.

數千名孩子被迫分離。

And because they were migrants,

因為他們是移民，

they were treated as less than children.

他們被對待的方式 比一般孩子還糟。

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

為了因應此事，我協助組織了 「家人應該在一起」守夜祈禱，

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

地點在德州麥卡倫的 烏蘇拉邊境巡邏處理中心，

on Father's Day.

時間是父親節。

Inside that processing center, there were hundreds of children

在那處理中心內，有數百名孩子，

who were being held, processed

他們被拘留、被處理，

and then prepared to be shipped all over country

準備運送到全國各地，

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

關在離他們父母 數百英哩遠的機構當中。

I saw with my own eyes

我親眼看見，

children not [old] enough for kindergarten

還不到幼稚園年齡的孩子，

in unmarked buses,

在沒有標記的巴士上，

being shipped off to jails hundreds of miles away.

被運送到數百英哩外的監獄。

And as they passed us by,

他們經過我們時，

they reached for us through the windows,

他們透過窗戶向我們伸手，

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

那時我們在那裡守夜， 讓他們知道他們並不孤單，

and we are fighting for them.

我們在為他們奮鬥。

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

來自德州各地的家庭傭工 參與了這次守夜。

They saw in those families their own family stories.

他們在那些家庭身上看到了 他們自己家人的故事。

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

他們來這裡也是為了 尋求安全和新的開始，

a better life for their families,

想給家人更好的生活，

and they saw in the eyes of those children

在那些孩子的眼中，

their own children.

他們看見了他們自己的孩子。

And through our tears,

透過我們的眼淚，

we looked at each other and we asked each other,

我們看著彼此，我們問彼此：

"How did we get here,

「我們是怎麼走到這一步的，

to putting children in cages

竟然把孩子關在籠子裡，

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

把他們和世界上 最愛他們的人分開？」

How?

怎麼回事？

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

我自己在心裡想的是：

如果由家庭傭工來主導，

this never would have happened.

就不會發生這種事。

Our humanity would never have been so disposable

我們的人性不會如此隨便到

that we would be treating children in this way.

竟用這種方式對待孩子。

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

達賴喇嘛曾經說過，

愛和同理心是必需品，

not luxuries.

而非奢侈品。

Without them, humanity cannot survive.

沒有它們，人性無法存活下來。

In other words, they are fundamental to human existence.

換言之，它們是人類存在的基礎。

Domestic workers are in charge of the fundamentals.

家庭傭工在負責的事 就是最基礎的事。

They love and they care,

他們會愛人、會照顧人，

and they show compassion no matter what.

不論如何他們都會展現同理心。

We live in a time of moral choices

我們身處的時代，

到哪裡都有道德選擇：

everywhere we turn:

at the border,

在邊境、

at the ballot box,

在投票箱、

in our workplaces,

在工作場所、

right in our homes, full of moral choices.

在我們的家中，都滿是道德選擇。

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

當你忙著過日子時，

若遇到這些道德選擇，

think of Lily.

想想莉莉。

Think like Lily.

像莉莉那樣地思考。

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

像那些無論如何都會露面並進行 照顧工作的家庭傭工那樣地思考。

Love and compassion, no matter what.

不論如何，都要有愛和同理心。

Show up like a domestic worker,

像家庭傭工一樣露面，

because our children are counting on us.

因為我們的孩子還要仰賴我們。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）