Angela Garbes’s first book, Like a Mother, looked at the science, myths, and inequities surrounding pregnancy and motherhood. Her latest book, Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change, continues to examine obstacles and injustices faced by parents and other caregivers. In this book, Garbes also looks at her own family’s history as members of the Filipino American community, many of whom are tasked with the least desirable caregiving duties. On September 9, 2022, Garbes spoke with Shereen Marisol Meraji, award-winning journalist, professor at UC Berkeley, and founding co-host and senior producer emerita of Code Switch, NPR’s podcast about race and identity in America.