When Women’s futures are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, Fight back! | International Women’s Day 2023
Yesterday, we watched in horror as Florida’s governor laid out his administration’s priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session. The slew of shameful legislative proposals meant to criminalize, humiliate, and repress poor and working-class women in Florida represents the will of a powerful minority, not the majority. It is a direct attack on Black and Immigrant women and their families and will have dire consequences for the well-being of our entire communities.
Instead of addressing the people’s most pressing concerns, including the skyrocketing costs of living with insufficient wages and benefits for workers, increasing access to healthcare, a lack of protections for renters, and rental price gouging, it seems that Florida lawmakers are intent on increased punishment, surveillance, and waging culture wars meant to divide and distract us from more urgent priorities, including worsening conditions for families in Florida.
In Miami-Dade County and all throughout Florida, families who rent are experiencing rapid displacement. Having children is the highest indicator that a family will face eviction, and this disproportionately impacts single women of color. It’s important to be clear that evictions are not inevitable, but a policy choice that puts profit over families. Housing in Florida should be dignified, not predatory.
In South Florida, care workers, majority Black, Latinx, Afro-Caribbean, and Haitian women are essential to the well-being of our families, yet they are excluded from basic labor protections, and regularly experience sexual harassment, wage theft, and other forms of workplace abuse and discrimination. Nobody should feel unsafe and exploited at their place of work.
This International Women’s Day, Miami Workers Center reiterates its commitment to continue to fight for the rights, lives and well-being of working-class immigrant women of color. We reclaim International Women’s Day to be a day focused on the advancement of women’s struggles for dignity and respect in all areas of life.
Together we can build a powerful movement capable of transforming Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida into a county and state that works for all of us!
Join the Miami Workers Center as we double down in our efforts and our commitments for the year ahead to:
- Demand Dignity, Accountability & Respect for Tenants in Public Housing and Section 8 Voucher Holders
- Fight for a Tenants’ Right to Counsel and Eviction Defense!
- Challenge Wage Theft Through Labor Standards Co-Enforcement
- Build Power with Domestic Workers in Miami-Dade County
Support for our work and the organizing of everyday working-class women in Miami-Dade has never been more crucial. Make today the day you join the movement and get involved with MWC! Let’s build a powerful movement capable of transformation.
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