A tweet showing protestors in Albany, The texts from Kendra Scalia and Audrey Sasson read that 22 of them got arrested.
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Fair Pay for Home Care

The pandemic has the existing hardships that afflict the home care workers, forcing them to leave to seek better paying jobs, causing a devastating shortage in home services which continues to grow. An alliance of senior, disability, and family care organizations as well as advocates formed and demanded that the new budget would reflect a fair pay for all workers (150% of the minimum wage), an investment in home care workforce and insurance compensation of the cost for Personal Protective Equipment for home care agencies.

The campaign led disabled people to protest at the Capitol in Albany. They presented a 70-foot-long list of New Yorkers who need home care and can’t find it. Activists were also arrested as they occupied the building.

The finalized version of the budget after the lengthy battle raised the hourly pay for workers by 3% during a two-year period (two dollars raise beginning in October 2022 and one dollar increase in 2023). Far from the requested $22 an hour, the “bump” from $15 to $18 an hour for home care in NYC is deemed insufficient to be competitive with other sectors of the economy.

— Yan Grenier

“Calling for Home Care,” a collaboration with Hand in Hand and the Caring Majority campaign, shot in the late spring of 2020 in New York’s Hudson Valley. Produced by Julia Solow, music composed by Daniel Frankhuizen, directed by Chase Bauer.

Backup Media:

Screenshot of 4 Apr 2022 Twitter/X post by Kendra Scalia (@kendra_scalia) responds to a post by Audrey Sasson (@audrey_sasson) from the same day. Scalia writes, "Tonight I was arrested for the first time in my life for demanding #FairPay4HomeCare! This is a life or death situation for me and my partner. I have nothing left to lose. I'm so proud of @CaringMajority leaders statewide who have built this amazing campaign!" Sasson's post features a group of activists, some in wheelchairs, many holding red "Fair Pay for Home Care" signs, standing on a portico. The accompanying text reads "Capitol police arrested these 22 courageous leaders of the@CaringMajority who were simply singing songs and sharing care stories (ok, and maybe refusing to leave when asked). [clenched fist emoji]"

Screenshot of 4 Apr 2022 Twitter/X post by Audrey Sasson (@audrey_sasson) featuring a photograph of a group of activists, some in wheelchairs, many holding red "Fair Pay for Home Care" signs, standing on a portico. The accompanying text reads "Capitol police arrested these 22 courageous leaders of the@CaringMajority who were simply singing songs and sharing care stories (ok, and maybe refusing to leave when asked). [clenched fist emoji]"

Screenshot of a March 28th 2022 Downstate New York ADAPT (@DNY_ADAPT) Twitter/X post. in it a brown skinned woman with black hair holds a sign protesting home care cuts on a city sidewalk. She is seated in a maroon wheelchair. The text post reads "Another New Yorker, another VOTER advocating for the right 2 community based care. When eligibility is cut, we lose our communities and they lose us! A5367A! Nursing homes kill. @GovKathyHochul @AndreaSCousins @PIX11News@fox5ny @DickGottfried @NYSenatorRivera"

Screenshot of a March 28th 2022 Downstate New York ADAPT (@DNY_ADAPT) Twitter/X post. In it Nina, a white woman with brown hair seated in a blue wheelchair, holds a sign protesting institutionalization and promoting home care. She is on a city sidewalk, wearing a hat and glasses. The text post reads "Hey @GovKathyHochul! Need a win-win-win issue this campaign season? Repeal home care cuts and save $ that would otherwise be wasted on costly nursing homes! We are your voters! Don’t throw us away! @HenryRosoff @PIX11News @fox5ny @NBCNewYork @NYAIL @News12LI"

Screenshot of an March 18th 2022 post by Consumer Directed Personal Assistance New York (@CDPAANYS). The text reads "Elizabeth and Valerie show support up at the Providers for Fair Pay rally. #FairPay4HomeCare." The image shows two women in wheelchairs wearing jackets holding fair pay for home care signs.

Screenshot of a March 19th 2022 Twitter/X post by the Chinese-American Planning Council (cpc_nyc). The text reads "CPC, nonprofit home care agencies, @CaringMajority @UNHNY @CDPAANYS organized #Providers4FairPay Rally to call for #FairPay4HomeCare! Over 100 workers & clients attended! Thank you to worker Agnes Fong for speaking about State's responsibility to fund living wages & quality care!" The accompanying image a crowd is gathered to support Fair Pay for Home Care.

Screenshot of a March 19th 2022 Twitter/X post by the Chinese-American Planning Council (cpc_nyc). The text reads "CPC, nonprofit home care agencies, @CaringMajority @UNHNY @CDPAANYS organized #Providers4FairPay Rally to call for #FairPay4HomeCare! Over 100 workers & clients attended! Thank you to worker Agnes Fong for speaking about State's responsibility to fund living wages & quality care!" In the accompanying image a speaker addresses a crowd gathered to support Fair Pay for Home Care.

Screenshot of a March 19th 2022 Twitter/X post by the Chinese-American Planning Council (cpc_nyc). The text reads "CPC, nonprofit home care agencies, @CaringMajority @UNHNY @CDPAANYS organized #Providers4FairPay Rally to call for #FairPay4HomeCare! Over 100 workers & clients attended! Thank you to worker Agnes Fong for speaking about State's responsibility to fund living wages & quality care!" In the accompanying image, a crowd is gathered to support Fair Pay for Home Care. Two speakers, one in a wheelchair and one standing behind a podium, address the crowd.

Video shared on Twitter/X on April 3rd 2022 by NY Caring Majority (@CaringMajority) with the caption “Together, we can move mountains. This incredible coalition and movement is in it to win it — together. #FairPay4HomeCare” Originally uploaded by posted by Jews for Racial & Economic Justice Action (@JFREJNYC)