Autobiographical film Roma follows the story of Cleo, a live-in maid, in 1970’s Mexico City. The success of this nationally-praised film, released in early November, 2018, has raised awareness about the lack of equal rights for domestic workers and sparked newfound support for a National Bill of Rights for Domestic Workers that Senator Kamala Harris and Representative Pramila Jayapal announced in late November 2018.
Although only some elements are autobiographical, this intimate family drama takes the viewer on a journey through Cuaron’s upbringing in the Colonial Roma neighborhood of Mexico City. Despite centering around the lives of a maid and a family, the film also captures the political turmoil and upheaval within the country. The heartfelt interactions and portrayals of the family’s day-to-day life reveal how Cleo, played by Yalitza Aparicio, has developed a close, maternal relationship with the children. The relationship between Cleo and Sofia, the working mother of the family played by Marina de Tavira, develops as they seek each other out for support in the midst of hardship. As Cleo’s personal life begins to unravel, tensions within the upper-middle class family are also revealed. Nevertheless, domestic work bridges Cleo’s life as an indigenous Mixtec woman and the life of a wealthy family.
Roma received international acclaim for Aparicio’s and de Tavira’s performances, as well as directing, screenplay and cinematography. Roma earned ten Academy Awards nominations, and won in the categories of Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, Achievement in Directing and Achievement in Cinematography. Although Aparicio did not win Best Actress at the Academy Awards, her performance rightfully earned her 26 nominations and seven wins over the course of the awards season.
Considering the lack of indigenous representation in popular media, Aparicio has made massive strides in the film industry for an actress of indigenous descent; her father is Mixtec and her mother is Triqui. Roma was also Aparacio’s film debut, and she had no former acting experience prior to filming.
Cleo’s story has resonated among many domestic workers, specifically housekeepers and nannies, in the United States. Mariana Garcia, a domestic worker who immigrated from Colombia and now serves as a nanny in San Francisco, saw her life reflected in the film.
García noticed that Cleo treated the children in the film as if they were her own, and the children treated Cleo as if she were their second mother. When watching the movie, “Inmediatamente pensé en mí. Es eso lo que yo vivo [I immediately thought of myself, that is what I live,]” Garcia said. Garcia added that it was interesting to have the protagonist of such a successful movie be a nanny and a woman of color. She feels that it contrasts the lack of visibility and voice of domestic workers in the United States.
For Ana Laura Mendoza, a nanny in San Francisco who immigrated from Mexico, the film was a reminder of the relationship she had with her nanny and the impact she had on Mendoza’s life. “Ella llegó a ser parte de la familia…pues gracias a ella tuve una buena educación moral.” [She became part of the family….Well, thanks to her I had a good moral education].
The National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) has leveraged Roma’s success and Hollywood buzz to attract support for their efforts. For example, their website reads: “In Roma, Oscar Winner Alfonso Cuarón delivers a vivid, emotional portrait of a domestic worker, Cleo, which asks us to explore how we can make a difference for the women who care for our families and our homes: the real-life Cleos everywhere.”
Marzena Zukowska, the Director of Media Relations at the National Domestic Workers Alliance, said, “Roma has fundamentally changed how people see and understand domestic work…It’s so rare to witness such a powerful story with Cleo — an indigenous domestic worker — at the heart of the film.”
According to the NDWA there are 2.5 million domestic workers in the United States. 70 percent are paid less than $13 an hour and 65 percent have no health insurance. The NDWA’s goal is to fight for the recognition, rights, and support that domestic workers deserve.
The alliance, led by women of color and domestic workers, supports a variety of initiatives centred around raising labor standards, works to change policy, and organizes leadership programs that strengthen the voices of workers through a variety of initiatives. Garcia said that often, workers don’t receive respect or consideration for the long work hours and low wages their employers impose. Their employers often don’t provide leisure time or breaks she added. The NDWA’s website provides a thorough description of actions that employers can take in order to improve labor standards such as fair pay, having clear expectations and providing paid time off.
Many basic labor laws do not extend to domestic workers. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, national origin, and religion. However, this law only applies to employers with 15 employees, illustrating one of the many loopholes that exclude many nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers from basic rights such as retirement, health, minimum wage and a non-discriminatory work environment.
Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, a law which established the right to overtime pay eligibility and minimum wage, in 1938. It did not initially apply to workers employed directly by households in domestic service. It was not until 1974 that the law expanded coverage to domestic workers, revealing the lack of recognition and voice that domestic workers have had in labor legislation and politics.
Furthermore, the ability to form unions, overtime pay and the right to recourse against harassment and discrimination, does not apply to domestic workers. This lack of legislation and protection is partly due to the non-traditional, unregulated work environment that exists for domestic workers and their employers.
Garcia said that before she immigrated to the United States, an office job was all she knew. Garcia worked for an insurance company in Bogota. As her financial system worsened and it became increasingly difficult to provide food for her son, she made the decision to permanently move to the United States in 1998. Garcia spent her first months living in Morgan Hill. She recalled seeing an ad on television for a babysitting job in San Francisco. Garcia said that she decided to interview for the job not because she thought it would be easy, but because she felt it was the best option considering that she was undocumented and knew no one in the Bay Area. She has worked as a babysitter ever since. Garcia emphasized that the work of domestic workers “son trabajos pesados y son trabajos duros” [a big burden and very difficult]. Many employers don’t take that into consideration; they seem to care more about having a clean house than the wellbeing of those who clean it.
The majority of domestic work in America is traditionally performed by immigrants and women of color. “Cualquier trabajo que venga de parte de nosotros como inmigrantes, siempre nos vamos a ver afectados por el racismo en los Estados Unidos.” [Regardless of the work we do as immigrants, we will always be affected by racism in the United States],” Patricia Puentes, a babysitter in Burlingame, said.
Garcia said that domestic workers are treated as inferior and “no les tratan como seres humanos” [employers don’t treat them as human beings].
Mendoza expressed her dismay with the lack of labor rights for nannies. She posed a question to employers of domestic workers; “Si tú tuvieras que hacer este trabajo, ¿cuánto te gustaría ganar y cuáles beneficios te gustaría tener?” [If you had to do this job, how much money would you like to earn and what benefits would you like?]
In November 2018, Ai-jen Poo, the director of NDWA, announced a National Bill of Rights for Domestic Workers. The bill is co-sponsored by California Senator Kamala Harris and Pramila Jayapal, a representative from Washington’s seventh congressional district. The bill ensures meal and rest breaks, fair scheduling practice, paid sick days and affordable health care and retirement savings, and the ability to unionize. Additionally, the bill provides protections that make it easier for workers to report assault. In a joint statement, Poo, Harris, and Jayapal said, “We must extend protections to those who have been silenced and overlooked for decades. Because it’s not just what we do in the public eye that matters, but what we do behind closed doors — and change begins at home.” Harris and Jayapal will introduce the bill when Congress reconvenes in Spring 2019.
This bill is the first national legislation of its kind, building upon the domestic workers bill of rights passed in eight states and one municipality. Although the bill wasn’t a direct outcome of the film, Zukowska said that, “Roma has opened up a national dialogue about the rights of domestic workers.” The bill has gained more support and attention as a result of the movie’s popularity.
Puentes, who immigrated from Colombia, said that she hopes this bill will successfully bring “un mecanismo donde la gente se pueda quejar sin tener miedo a repercusiones por parte del empleador.” [A mechanism where people can complain without being afraid of repercussions on the part of the employer].
Mendoza said the potential legislation will lead to a shift in the social narrative of domestic workers and their employers. “Sobretodo el respeto y valor que se merecen todas estas personas que cuidan a sus hijos como si fueran parte de su familia.” [Especially the respect and value that all these people deserve who care for their children as if they are part of their family].
In addition to the rights the bill provides, Mendoza urged for “Seguro médico, dental y de ojos así como un retiro cuando cumplan la edad requerida.” [Medical, dental and eye insurance as well as a retirement when they meet the required age]. Mendoza added that nannies should be offered temporary visas with the option to apply for a regular immigration situation after some time.
Domestic workers support not only our communities, but also our economy. Caregiving is one of the fastest growing professions in America, expected to increase by an average of 43 percent from 2016 to 2026 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This statistic suggests that the demand for equal caregiving rights will only become more pressing and crucial in the next 10 years.
“Domestic jobs are the jobs of the future,” Zukowska said. “We need to make sure that the people who do this work are supported and projected. And the Bill of Rights will do just that.” Garcia said that although a National Bill of Rights for Domestic Workers will bring major change to the lives of nannies and housekeepers, it is only the first step in a long process to shift the social narrative of discrimination, disrespect and injustice that domestic workers face.
photo courtesy of www.domesticworkers.org
