Personal essay collection shining a light on the plight of UK migrant domestic workers in collaboration with gal-dem

Kickstarting our summer residency on the 19 June, gal-dem hosted a personal essay writing workshop with migrant domestic workers from both FDWA and The Voice of Domestic Workers.

gal-dem are an online and print magazine committed to telling the stories of people of colour from marginalised genders. Through their magazine, they aim to address inequalities, strongly aligning with the Our Place is Here campaign. The workshop was a closed community event, centred around the themes of home, community and belonging. It was closely aligned with the Our Place is Here campaign values and also aimed to teach a new skill to domestic workers.

gal-dem approached the workshop in such a way that they ensured all participants felt comfortable, guiding them through various activities to help everyone think creatively when writing their personal essays. Whilst the essays speak to the difficult experiences migrant domestic workers have gone through, gal-dem facilitated the workshop sensitively, so to not retraumatise or trigger any of the participants.

Three of the essays were selected to be edited and published on gal-dem’s website as a series, highlighting the campaign and the issue of labour exploitation in the UK exacerbated by the changes to the overseas domestic worker visa in 2012. These powerful essays are also available as podcast episodes on gal-dem’s Apple and Spotify channels.

When reading or listening to these essays, it is difficult not to feel moved by them. It is important that we read, listen and share these essays, to raise awareness about the exploitation of migrant domestic workers and to build solidarity. Stamp our demands from domestic workers and show your support for better human rights and workers rights.