PrernaLal.com

Cutting Out the Unpaid Work

// May 29th, 2009 // Human Rights

It’s no fun to be a radical political economist that does not get paid for her own labor.

From exploitation at Taco Bell to San Francisco State University to Brave New Films to a bunch of other organizations vying for my services today–please, you have to find a way to compensate my labor unless I am willing to put in free time i.e. Bay Area Video Coalition to forge alliances and friendships.

I know I am a precious commodity in many areas–queer, two-time diasporic Indian immigrant, Pacific Islander, woman of color with a Graduate degree–who does graphic designing, systems administration, web 2.0 consulting, organizing, media training, blogging, legal advising and countless other odd jobs. At the end of the day, I am a political scientist, an economist, an international development person via my higher education. I also have 5 years of janitorial experience. I am an avid cyclist and gamer. All this is completely unprecedented. It is worth something.

I am a human being, with or without documentation.

I would like to get treated like one.

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