The Many Atrocities of Marginalized Beings

“…a collection of voices…struggling the best they can to get through the day, to keep their families safe, to make a little money, maybe even to save some. Is there anything more American than this? There’s nothing very American about not being able to speak up” (Orner, p.13).

“How can understand the problem is we don’t listen? How can we fix it if we don’t understand it?” (Orner, p 4)

In regards to social issues ubiquitous in our world today, stories form the foundation of awareness, as they are the only means to reach out to another human’s heart and fill them with emotions through what makes us unique in our ability to sympathize, empathize, and communicate. As we are bombardment with information, stories allow one to feel more than simply filter and synthesize. While statistics and analysis’ are important and provide what many want known as ‘proof,’ they do not exist in isolation and should therefore not be presented as so. In desperate need of union and connection, people need to presented with stories, information, data, and opinions in order to have a well-formed outlook of their own. I am personally struck by narratives, as my imagination begins to form in a person in my mind – with certain attributes, cultural influences, emotions, and most of all their own, distinct voice. A story pops out because the storyline and implications become an entity, a being, an individual, not just a void of numbers and barrage of random, unrelated judgments.

DataCenter and Domestic Workers United (DWU) created a compelling argument by providing people with truth, openness, discussion, facts, and stories. Throughout the study, in a more free-flowing way, the reader is presented with glimpses of narratives, backed by research statistics, and then also given explanations as to meanings and implications of the numbers and stories. The entire thing is organized into chapters that allow the reader to breakdown the large social issue and consider the factors at play. In the beginning, the reader is pulled in with simple statements that 200,000 domestic workers are in New York City alone, and they are easily the “invisible backbone of the NYC economy” (p.1).

On the journey of being profoundly educated, the reader learns about the many details and factors affecting why domestic workers are often valued less and treated in exploitative ways, and how this problem is continuing to exist in the modern era due to lack of legal/social protection of human rights. The first point if observation was the survey result that showed 99 percent of domestic workers in NY were foreign-born, 95 percent are people of color, and 93percent are women (p.2). This statistic is immediately supported by the many short quotes and narratives of domestic workers that reflect these demographics, as well reveal the immeasurable mistreatments, manipulations, and abuse that directly and specifically exploit these demographics (i.e. marginalized people of color, low social class, and women). I was especially struck by some acts/laws in place that were so limiting and exclusive. For instance, the idea that the ‘magnificent’ Civil Rights Laws only applies to employers with 15 or more employees. How was this ever set-up and overlooked?! (p. 8). I was also moved by the information presented in Table 3.1 ‘Reasons Domestic Workers came to the U.S’ and Tables 3.2-3.3 ‘Worker Demographics’ and ‘Employer Demographics’ (p.10). These are compelling statements because I think they would shock many people, especially those most ignorant about ‘immigration.’ In all honesty, what better way to educate or change someone’s mind than through shock? DataCenter and DWU also did a very good job at representing a diverse population and proving this in the survey results, as well as short narratives. This may breakdown peoples’ misconceptions about who these people are and why they are here. In this way, the reader may be better able to identify or empathize with people as they are all unique and individual but speaking to one larger social justice issue.

All of the stories in Underground America are compelling and upsetting, but today I am choosing to write about one that particularly made me mad. The story of Olga, a 39 year-old housekeeper in Oxnard California. In her heartbreaking story she tells about her transgender son/daughter who after being imprisoned for drugs/alcohol and detained for being an “illegal immigrant” was absolutely abused, exploited, and ultimately killed by a sick branch of the prison system (my opinion). The situation I think needs to be further looked as the access (or inaccess) prisoners with major diseases like HIV have (or don’t). The most enraging part of this story, for me, was the criminalization of Vica— that may have began with a legitimate misdemeanor (being under influence of drugs/alcohol) but turned into a degradation of human life itself, as Vica was harassed and not given medication for AIDS because of her sexuality and immigration status. She was not a murderer or rapist! She was a human being who died, chained to a bed after not being given essential drugs.

If someone or a group wanted to further research this topic they could look at prisoner demographics (either on a nation, state or county level) and compile data reflecting…

·       crime committed, sentence given

·       access to healthcare/doctors/essential medications

·        major diseases present

·       occurrences of harassment, exploitation, abuse (by other prisoners and guards)

o      how often?

·       Rate of HIV/AIDS among prisoners

o      State of disease, time since diagnosis

·       Prisoners detained on immigration status

o      Reason for initial imprisonment

o      other crimes committed along with being “detained by legal status”

·       Resources available (mental/physical health related)

·       Current (specific) laws/acts, implications & discrepancies

o      Examples of these laws being broken, not enforced, or not known