Caregiver Narrative Project: Caregiving as an act of resistance and a common good

Caregiver Narrative Project: Caregiving as an act of resistance and a common good

Caregiving — both paid and unpaid — is critical to the function of our society. But how does the public perceive this vital act? Berkeley Media Studies Group investigated narratives surrounding caregiving in collaboration with the California Work & Family Coalition, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. We identified themes across the media, nonprofits, and care sector, including the invisibility of caregiving, how that invisibility is rooted in racism and gender oppression, and tensions between notions of caregiving as an individual problem versus a shared societal responsibility for the common good. These findings later informed a series of learning circles aimed at shifting the culture around caregiving. This report documents documents the lessons learned from those discussions and outlines next steps for advocates.