Stream now with the PBS app / Watch Monday, Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on KPBS TV
About 300,000 domestic workers labor as caregivers, nannies and house cleaners in 2 million homes across California, but unlike most other workers, they’re not protected by OSHA health and safety guidelines.
"Dignidad" tells the story of today’s domestic workers who are risking it all to support their families while fighting for their rights on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Led by Kim Alvarenga, the daughter of a Salvadoran domestic worker in San Francisco, the California Domestic Workers Coalition helps lead a turbulent campaign to bring domestics under OSHA protections for the first time in our nation’s history.
Through grit, activism and unbending solidarity, these mostly female and largely undocumented workers show how change can happen, even when the odds are stacked against them.
Explore More: EHSC’s new documentary follows domestic workers as they organize for workplace protections during the COVID-19 pandemic
“It was incredibly inspiring to work on this film with so many brave domestic workers, and especially interesting to be able to capture the ups and downs of a grassroots political movement during the uncertain times of a pandemic,” Director Paige Bierma said. “I hope this film helps to show the kind of dedication and perseverance it takes to bring about real political change in this country.”
