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.

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

Elaine Ducharme

Director, Deaf Blind Contact Center

"So when people meet me, they think that I must be hearing normal, because they don’t expect a deaf blind woman could be the director of this organization. And when I tell them that I am deaf blind, they ask me how I can work, and they don’t realize that Braille computers help you do that.  I tell them that 'Yes, we are deaf blind but we can work'."

Deaf Blind Contact Center
Interviewer: 
Jessica Acox
Interview Date: 
Tue, 03/27/2007
Interview Language: 
English
Interview Focus: 
Work
Name Sort: 
Ducharme

Ann M. Jenkins

Jenkins_Annie.jpg
Owner, Annie’s Clark Brunch, Main Street

“I love being here because people come here. People know where to find me twelve hours out of the day. Come on guys, you want me? You know where to find me. I enjoy that. I enjoy people. Twenty years now I’ve been here, and I enjoy people knowing that, too, people knowing my name. ‘Oh, I know that place down on Main Street.’ I like that. Yeah. I like that.”

Annie Jenkins was born and raised in Worcester and now lives with her husband in North Oxford. In this interview, Annie discusses her work history with a particular focus on her experiences owning and operating Annie’s Clark Brunch, a breakfast and lunch restaurant in the Main South neighborhood. After graduating from Dougherty High School, Annie struggled to balance family obligations and paid labor as a young single mother.

Owner, Annie’s Clark Brunch, Main Street
Interviewer: 
Erin Anderson
Interview Date: 
Thu, 10/05/2006
Interview Language: 
English
Interview Focus: 
Work
Name Sort: 
Jenkins

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Work