Ai-jen Poo

Ai-jen Poo
Name	Ai-jen Poo
Birth date	1974
Birth place	Pittsburgh
Nationality	United States
Occupation	Activist; Organizer; Author
Known for	Domestic workers' rights; National Domestic Workers Alliance
Awards	MacArthur Fellowship; Gwen Ifill College of Media and Journalism

Ai-jen Poo is an American organizer, activist, and author known for advocacy on behalf of domestic workers, care workers, and labor rights. She is a co-founder and leader of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and has been involved in policy campaigns, research, and coalition-building across nonprofit, labor, and political spheres. Her work intersects with movements addressing immigration, gender equity, and social policy reform.

Early life and education

Born in Pittsburgh to Taiwanese immigrants, Poo attended local schools and later studied at Columbia University where she engaged with campus activism and community organizing. She completed graduate studies at the New School and participated in programs associated with Eisner Foundation and other philanthropic institutions. During her formative years she connected with organizers from United Farm Workers, Service Employees International Union, and community groups in New York City.

Career and activism

Poo began her organizing career working with grassroots groups in Manhattan, collaborating with leaders from Ralph Nader-aligned consumer advocacy networks, Sankofa-style community groups, and immigrant rights organizations such as United We Dream and National Council of La Raza. She worked alongside labor leaders from AFL–CIO, activists from Black Lives Matter, feminists influenced by bell hooks, and public intellectuals like Angela Davis. Her early career included partnerships with nonprofit entities including Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and local community development corporations.

National Domestic Workers Alliance and organizing

Poo co-founded and directed the organization that became the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), collaborating with founders and leaders of groups such as Domestic Workers United, Alianza Nacional de Trabajadores Domésticos, and advocates from Women’s March coalitions. The NDWA built coalitions with unions like SEIU, activists from Migrant Rights Network, and allies in philanthropy such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Campaigns involved policy fights in state houses including California State Legislature, New York State Assembly, and coalition work with national actors like President Barack Obama administration officials, congressional leaders such as members of Congressional Black Caucus, and state labor departments.

Policy work and public advocacy

Poo has engaged with legislative campaigns including support for domestic workers' bills like those modeled after the New York Domestic Workers Bill of Rights and campaigns in Illinois, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. She has testified before bodies connected to the U.S. Congress, contributed to research with think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute, and advised municipal initiatives in cities like San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Public advocacy included appearances on platforms alongside journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and commentators from NPR, and speaking engagements at venues including TED and universities such as Harvard University and Yale University.

Awards and recognition

Poo received national recognition including a MacArthur Fellowship and honors from civic organizations like Time (magazine) listings and awards from foundations including the Starbucks Foundation and Skoll Foundation. She was profiled in publications such as The New Yorker, featured on broadcast outlets including PBS and CNN, and received honorary degrees from institutions such as Smith College and Bates College. Her work has been cited by leaders from United Nations forums, labor scholars at Rutgers University, and human rights advocates from Human Rights Watch.

Personal life and legacy

Poo’s alliances span across networks including immigrant rights groups like Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, feminist organizations such as National Organization for Women, and labor movements connected to Teamsters. Her legacy includes influencing policy conversations in presidential campaigns, partnerships with philanthropic funders like the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and mentorship of organizers who later worked with entities such as Make the Road New York and Economic Policy Institute. She lives in New York City and continues to shape debates about labor standards, caregiving, and social justice.

Category:American activists Category:Labor organizers in the United States