Current Role | Executive Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) |
Previous Position | Co-Founder, Caring Across Generations |
Key Recognition | TIME 100 | MacArthur “Genius” Grant | Forbes 50 Over 50: Impact List |
Background and Early Foundations
Born in Pittsburgh to Taiwanese immigrants and raised with deep respect for community responsibility, Ai-jen Poo’s activism began at Columbia University. What started as campus organizing evolved into one of the most transformative labor rights movements in modern America.
In 2007, she founded the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) — a nonprofit representing nannies, housekeepers, and elder caregivers across the U.S. and now influencing care economy policies globally.
Today, the Ai-jen Poo changemaker journey stands for dignity in invisible labor and global leadership in shaping the future of caregiving.
Career Milestones and Impact
Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
2007 | Founded the National Domestic Workers Alliance |
2012 | Instrumental in passing New York Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights |
2020 | Advisor to Biden Presidential Transition Team on Care Economy Policy |
2024 | Co-launched Care Can’t Wait coalition for global care infrastructure funding |
- Network Reach: 250,000+ workers and allies in U.S. and Southeast Asia
- Global Collaborations: UN Women, ILO, ASEAN Women’s Empowerment forums
- Policy Areas: Paid leave, immigrant rights, AI regulation in caregiving
- Civic Recognition: Named to TIME 100 (2022) and inaugural recipient of Ford Foundation Visionary Award
Leadership Style and Influence
Ai-jen Poo is a movement builder and systems visionary:
- Works at the intersection of labor justice, gender equity, and immigrant empowerment
- Champions a human-centered economy where caregiving is respected and funded
- Builds platforms for policy advocacy, storytelling, and cross-border solidarity
She’s helped transform the narrative of “care work” from undervalued to core infrastructure for national well-being.
Legacy and Future Focus
Ai-jen’s legacy is making the invisible workforce visible — through laws, campaigns, and international discourse.
Her current mission includes:
- Developing a global caregiving innovation hub in Southeast Asia
- Advocating for fair AI regulation in automated elder and domestic care
- Promoting digital upskilling for migrant women workers
She’s shaping an economic model where empathy, equity, and data coexist.
