What happens when love isn’t enough to hold up a broken system?

Ai-jen Poo—award-winning organizer and executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance—joins Kate Bowler to talk about caregiving in America. Who provides it. Who’s left out. And why we need a system that treats care as the sacred, shared labor that it is.

Together they explore:
Why more than 100 million Americans are caregiving right now
What it costs to support a loved one—and why the math doesn’t add up
The long shadow of slavery in how we treat domestic workers today
Why dignity and agency are essential in every stage of life
What it would look like to build a policy solution that works for everyone

If you’re carrying the care of someone else—or fearing the moment when you will—this conversation is for you.

Show Notes


Caring Across Generations– A movement co-led by Ai-jen Poo to transform the way we care in America.


National Domestic Workers Alliance – Advocating for the dignity and rights of the people who care for our homes and loved ones.


The Age of Dignity by Ai-jen Poo – A powerful read on what the “elder boom” means for all of us.


Find your elected officials – Contact Congress to protect Medicaid and support caregiving policies.


State-by-state Medicaid info – Learn what Medicaid is called in your state and how it supports care.


Congressional Budget Office– For context on recent Medicaid budget cuts and projections for coverage loss.


Aspen Ideas Festival


Share your caregiving story on Substack – Join the conversation with others who are navigating care.


A Blessing for Care-Givers and Care-Receivers – A gentle word for those in the trenches of giving or needing care.

What happens when love isn&rsquo;t enough to hold up a broken system?
Ai-jen Poo&mdash;award-winning organizer and executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance&mdash;joins Kate Bowler to talk about caregiving in America. Who provides it. Who&rsquo;s left out. And why we need a system that treats care as the sacred, shared labor that it is.
Together they explore:
<ul>
<li>Why more than 100 million Americans are caregiving right now</li>
<li>What it costs to support a loved one&mdash;and why the math doesn&rsquo;t add up</li>
<li>The long shadow of slavery in how we treat domestic workers today</li>
<li>Why dignity and agency are essential in every stage of life</li>
<li>What it would look like to build a policy solution that works for everyone</li>
</ul>
If you&rsquo;re carrying the care of someone else&mdash;or fearing the moment when you will&mdash;this conversation is for you.
Show Notes
<ul>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://caringacross.org">Caring Across Generations </a>&ndash; A movement co-led by Ai-jen Poo to transform the way we care in America.
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://www.domesticworkers.org">National Domestic Workers Alliance</a> &ndash; Advocating for the dignity and rights of the people who care for our homes and loved ones.
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-age-of-dignity-preparing-for-the-elder-boom-in-a-changing-america-ai-jen-poo/7e8ab86138b3b189?ean=9781620972014&amp;next=t">The Age of Dignity by Ai-jen Poo</a> &ndash; A powerful read on what the &ldquo;elder boom&rdquo; means for all of us.
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials">Find your elected officials</a> &ndash; Contact Congress to protect Medicaid and support caregiving policies.
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/state-medicaid-resources/">State-by-state Medicaid info</a> &ndash; Learn what Medicaid is called in your state and how it supports care.
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://www.cbo.gov">Congressional Budget Office </a>&ndash; For context on recent Medicaid budget cuts and projections for coverage loss.
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://www.aspenideas.org">Aspen Ideas Festival</a>
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://katebowler.substack.com/">Share your caregiving story on Substack</a> &ndash; Join the conversation with others who are navigating care.
</li>
<li data-list-indent="1" data-list-type="bulleted">
<a href="https://open.substack.com/pub/katebowler/p/a-blessing-for-the-care-givers-and?r=4dul9&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;showWelcomeOnShare=true">A Blessing for Care-Givers and Care-Receivers</a> &ndash; A gentle word for those in the trenches of giving or needing care.
</li>
</ul>

Are you living your best life now? Not always? This is a podcast for you. Duke Professor Kate Bowler is an expert in the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. She had Stage IV cancer. Then she didn’t. And since then, all she wants to do is talk to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens.  Find her online at @katecbowler.

Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media https://lemonadamedia.com/

Are you living your best life now? Not always? This is a podcast for you. Duke Professor Kate Bowler is an expert in the stories we tell about success and failure, suffering and happiness. She had Stage IV cancer. Then she didn’t. And since then, all she wants to do is talk to funny and wise people about how to live with the knowledge that, well, everything happens.  Find her online at @katecbowler.
Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media <a href="https://lemonadamedia.com/" data-stringify-link="https://lemonadamedia.com/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://lemonadamedia.com/</a>

Honest conversation about life's less-shiny moments.

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