The Gift of Life for My Grandmother

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The author's grandmother, who died in 2020, was her "personal hero," she says. Her family had to find caregiving supports for her when she became more frail as she got older. Mrs. Sun provided the kind of support that allowed her to live a really full life at home and go to church twice a week with her daughter-in-law; they say there is no greater gift than this.

Activist, and MacArthur Genius, Ai-jen Poo believes that caring for others is one of the fundamental acts that make us human. But from nannies to elder-care workers, house cleaners to living assistants, single parents and beyond, globally, caretakers do not earn fair wages or recognition for their essential, life-giving labor. The President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Ai-jen explains how society undervalues domestic work, and provides a framework on how we can start a conversation about the future of care for our loved ones – and ourselves. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts