CARE IN ACTION
Electing women of color to office and passing the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights with targeted PR strategy.
Challenge #1: Introduce the national organization’s brand to Virginia to elect women of color during the 2019 General Election
Care in Action is the policy and advocacy home for two million domestic workers. The organization was founded to elect women of color who will advance the rights of domestic workers. In 2019, the organization launched its first state program in Virginia with an aim of electing 12 women of color into the General Assembly. They made a historic six-figure investment in field organizing, digital advertisements and direct mail campaigns in key districts to mobilize voters.
As a new organization, the client needed help with introducing the brand to Virginia news media and creating moments to elevate stories of care workers as part of its care agenda.
Our Approach
Our campaign focused on a targeted PR strategy in key voter districts for candidates running close races. That included introducing voters to domestic workers and the care agenda, creating a distinct message for target audiences and working with the digital marketing team to increase brand awareness. Our efforts focused on press events, op-ed placements and building relationships with state politics reporters to maximize press coverage.
Results
We were successful in landing media hits in state and national media outlets across print, radio, television and online platforms during the General Election. Virginia media showed interest in the total amount of investments being made in the 2019 campaign, especially in competitive races. Reporters also covered policy priorities for Care in Action in the following General Assembly session in 2020.
KEY WINS
Black Women Vote Rally with Kerry Washington
11 media hits
Letter to the editor published
Challenge #2: Generate media coverage to help pass the Virginia Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights
Domestic work is a woman-driven workforce, where the majority of that workforce are women of color and immigrant women. There are 60,000 home care workers, nannies and house cleaners who provide services that make all other work possible. Unfortunately, domestic workers were excluded from labor protections established under the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938 due to systemic racism. As of today, there still are no federal protections for domestic workers to be protected from discrimination and receive a minimum wage.
Virginia needed to right those wrongs of injustice by passing a Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights – legislation that recognizes domestic workers as employees, protects domestic workers against workplace discrimination and ensures domestic workers have rights to fair wages, workplace safety, workers’ compensation and unemployment.
At the time, Virginia was ranked the worst state for workers. Passage of the DWBOR would create real reform and a new path forward for workers and the labor movement.
Our Approach
Domestic work is a woman-driven workforce, where the majority of that workforce are women of color and immigrant women. There are 60,000 home care workers, nannies and house cleaners who provide services that make all other work possible. Unfortunately, domestic workers were excluded from labor protections established under the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938 due to systemic racism. As of today, there still are no federal protections for domestic workers to be protected from discrimination and receive a minimum wage.
Virginia needed to right those wrongs of injustice by passing a Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights – legislation that recognizes domestic workers as employees, protects domestic workers against workplace discrimination and ensures domestic workers have rights to fair wages, workplace safety, workers’ compensation and unemployment.
At the time, Virginia was ranked the worst state for workers. Passage of the DWBOR would create real reform and a new path forward for workers and the labor movement.
We focused on the following activities to help Care in Action secure legislative wins:
Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with Capitol Press Corps members and target media markets.
Education: Prepare key messages and background information on the Virginia Domestic Workers Bill of Rights for the news media to inform the public.
Awareness: Generate press releases, press statements and op-eds throughout the session to provide updates on legislation pertaining to domestic workers.
Our media activities included:
Press events with bill sponsors, domestic workers and legislative care champions
Press releases and press statements on labor legislation – workplace protections, discrimination laws, minimum wage inclusions
Op-eds and letters to the editor from organization principals and domestic workers
Digital engagement strategy and social media messaging rollout for the brand’s first-ever legislative session
Results
Care in Action is now a prominent voice in Virginia's political arena and recognized as a key player in influencing policy in the state. Attaining legislative wins and having earned media gives the organization credibility for elected officials, organizations and within Virginia's labor movement. Domestic workers are a key part of policy discussions centered on labor laws and Virginia's workforce.
Over the span of two years, Virginia extended rights to domestic workers, ultimately becoming the first state in the South to pass a Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights. Virginia is now the 10th state overall to extend labor protections to domestic workers.
Virginia is now positioned to provide more labor protections for domestic workers and build a larger coalition.
KEY WINS
2020 – 24 media hits
2021 – 32 media hits
VPM (NPR affiliate) profile story of a domestic worker
Op-ed placement
Letter to the editors published
Passage of Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights
