FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 7, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Daniela Perez, [email protected] | Christina Coleman, [email protected]
Care in Action: “We Won’t Back Down to Protect Care Workers and Families”
Yesterday, voters woke up to the news that Donald Trump won the 2024 election, an outcome that will have profound consequences for families and care workers across the country. Care in Action is ready to continue fighting for an equitable care economy where families and workers thrive.
Care in Action co-founder Ai-jen Poo and Care in Action senior advisor Jenn Stowe released the following statement on the work ahead to protect and advance care solutions, while protecting care workers, who are disproportionately Black, brown, and immigrant women:
Jenn Stowe, Care in Action senior advisor, said:
“Today, our community of working families, caregivers, care workers, and supporters are facing the reality of a second Trump presidency. While there’s profound uncertainty, Care in Action prepared for this moment and will not back down in the face of Trump’s divisive, racist, homophobic, hateful, and anti-immigration rhetoric and policies. Long before this election, our movement—led by care workers, Black women, and women of color—mobilized millions to champion a broad vision of care. Last night, critical victories affirmed this vision: Two Black women were elected to the U.S. Senate, Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE) and Angela Alsobrooks (MD), and North Carolina Governor-elect Josh Stein, a leader committed to strengthening the care economy. These wins, along with ballot measures supporting child care, worker protections, and abortion prove that care is a priority for Americans everywhere.”
“We celebrate major victories for caregiving families, with voters approving measures to support care infrastructure in Washington State, Sonoma County, California, and Travis County, Texas. Additionally, Missouri voters endorsed higher wages and mandatory paid sick leave for workers, ensuring essential protections that empower working families. These wins exemplify our power to drive progress, even as we brace for challenges ahead. Our coalition of care workers and everyday Americans will continue advocating for policies that uplift workers and families.”
“Black women—92% of whom turned out to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris —have long been the true organizers, especially in the domestic worker and labor movements, championing justice and equity for all. They continue to lead our legacy forward, standing resilient despite the profound impacts these decisions will have on their communities and families. We honor their role in pushing this movement and will continue to follow their lead as we fight for a stronger care infrastructure and a multiracial democracy that represents us all.”
Care in Action co-founder Ai-jen Poo said:
“We are facing an administration that will no doubt bring harm to the communities, caregivers and workers we represent. We are preparing for particular threats to immigrants and women of color. Trump’s reelection presents a real and present threat to our care programs and progress —eliminating Head Start and cutting Medicaid benefits; dismantling the Affordable Care Act (ACA); increasing Medicare prescription drug prices; weakening of Medicare overall, and the separation of immigrant care workers from their families. But we are prepared to fight at this moment for the protections and solutions that the majority of Americans want.”
“Our movement is millions strong and here to stay. We will not cede ground on the progress we’ve made to pass common-sense policies making in-home care affordable for older adults and people with disabilities, making child care affordable for families, ensuring every worker has paid family and medical leave, and ensuring America’s care workers earn family-sustaining wages. And we will not stop fighting for change. Millions of families across America – Democrats, Independents, and Republicans – are struggling every single day, and we will not stop fighting for the care and dignity we need to make our freedoms a reality.”
“The road ahead may be challenging, but Care in Action and our movement are unwavering. We have built a powerful coalition of care workers, families, and advocates who understand that care is the cornerstone of a thriving society. Our Election Day efforts reached millions—mobilizing 360 staff and 260 domestic worker volunteer canvassers to knock on nearly 330,000 doors, make 8.9 million calls, and send 2.3 million texts across key battleground states. With an investment in digital outreach achieving 150 million impressions, and targeted in-language engagement, we’re amplifying the urgency of the care crisis. As care took center stage in this election, we are committed to working with communities and lawmakers to protect care and ensure every family and worker is supported.”
This outcome is disappointing, but Care in Action’s commitment to building a path forward is unwavering. Care is a unifying issue, and people across the political spectrum understand that a strong care infrastructure is essential. An overwhelming bipartisan majority of voters want action to invest in making the care options families need affordable and accessible. A staggering 88% of voters support expanding Medicare to cover in-home care, including 91% of Democrats, 84% of Independents, and 86% of Republicans. Similarly, 85% of voters support paid parental, family, and medical leave, including 96% of Democrats, 82% of Independents, and 76% of Republicans.
Care in Action will continue building alliances and pushing for policies that genuinely support working families and invest in care. The labor movement—led by care and domestic workers—has been at the forefront, and will continue to fight forward to make care valued, accessible, and central to our national priorities, no matter the obstacles.
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Care in Action is the policy and advocacy home for women who care, working on behalf of more than two million domestic workers and care workers across America. Among the fastest-growing sectors in our economy, domestic workers are also among the most vulnerable and undervalued. As a mostly women and majority women of color workforce, this growing constituency consistently and overwhelmingly supports progressive values in American political life. Learn more at www.careinaction.us.