Work

“Work” is a value-laden term that has changed drastically over time, particularly in relation to women’s daily lives. Despite a legacy of opinions to the contrary, WWHP views women’s work as inherently valuable, whether taking place in the formal structure of paid employment or the private realm of home and family. We seek to understand each woman’s work on her own terms in her own words.

Gloria Abramoff

Former Owner and Operator of Tatnuck Bookseller

"You know I don’t think until in retrospect and we heard from so many people, honestly, when we closed [Tatnuck Bookseller], how bereft they were. And I have to say, it’s two years later and I still hear it. And how does that make me feel – it was great. It was – and I feel sad that there’s nothing that’s quite taken its place. I mean you can’t really do it in a mall."

Gloria Zieper Abramoff was born in 1952 and raised in the Tatnuck Square section of Worcester, MA. She attended Tatnuck Elementary School, Chandler Street Junior High and Doherty Memorial High School, all on the west side of Worcester, MA. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Comparative Literature from Trinity College in Hartford, CT in 1974. She earned a Masters in Arts and Teaching degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. Gloria lived in Philadelphia, PA for a short time where she met her future husband, Larry Abramoff, also a native of Worcester.

Interviewer: 
Kayla Haveles
Interview Date: 
Mon, 10/22/2007
Interview Focus: 
Work
Name Sort: 
Abramoff

Bridget McKay Kane

Student, Clark University

"I just think that it’s great that you guys are taking a look at women’s history and how it has such an important role in the world because there’s always been women throughout history.  As for Worcester, you know, I mean I think what keeps a lot of people here is family.  I think Worcester is a really family-based city."

Interviewer: 
Jaimie Venini
Interview Date: 
Tue, 03/21/2006
Interview Language: 
English
Interview Focus: 
Work
Name Sort: 
Kane

Bozena Dudek

Polish immigrant; Lived in Worcester for thirty years

“I think the kids and—in Europe when they were on a farm, or even in city—they are more mature. Like my sister was five years old and she had to watch me because I was too little. So, I mean today nobody would leave a kid five years old…a baby, you know? So it was different…It was, you know nice. And then when we came to America we had to start all over.”

Interviewer: 
Chrystal Cavallaro
Interview Date: 
Thu, 11/10/2005
Interview Language: 
English
Interview Focus: 
Work
Name Sort: 
Dudek

Barbara Trayers Athy

Director of Marketing and Communication, Abby’s House

“I found it—not being a native of Worcester—I found it very hard to make connections with people before my children were school age. Once they’re school age, you kinda get to interact with other parents and parents of their friends. It’s a different ball game. But when they were very little I found it very isolating. And I wasn’t working at the time.”

Abby's House
Interviewer: 
Jillian Beaulieu
Interview Date: 
Sun, 04/23/2006
Interview Language: 
English
Interview Focus: 
Work
Name Sort: 
Athy

Joan Phillip

Director, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Independent Living Services, Center for Living and Working

"Looking back, that desire to support and motivate deaf parents relates to my dad and how he loved to support deaf people and encourage deaf people, and I really love my job.  Every year I see the program grow.  And deaf people succeed and become more independent."

Center for Living and Working
Interviewer: 
Steve Wych
Interview Date: 
Tue, 03/27/2007
Interview Language: 
English
Interview Focus: 
Work
Name Sort: 
Phillip

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Work