The Work That Makes All Other Work Possible

Without domestic care and labor, no other work – creative or professional – is possible. This session will explore the history of why care work is undervalued, then challenge and expand our understanding of what ‘mothering’ and care labor is and can be. We’ll explore our own care journeys – the memories, emotions, and physical sensations – that brought us to where we are today and reframe care work as rich terrain for writing and storytelling, including the parts largely unspoken but strongly felt.

Note: This event is one part of the CityLit West Festival. All sessions require registration, even those that are free. Register for other sessions by following the links below:

3:00-4:30pm: "How to Write a Family Portrait" with Kristen Millares Young at The Pioneer Collective (Free. Sponsored by Washington Humanities)

5:30-7:00pm: Writer-Moms Social and Panel Discussion at Black Bottle Gastrotavern (Free. Sponsored by Black Bottle Gastrotavern)

Meet the Presenter

Angela Garbes is the author of Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change, called “a landmark and a lightning storm” by The New Yorker. Essential Labor was named a Best Book of 2022 by both The New Yorker and NPR. Her first book, Like a Mother, was also an NPR Best Book of the Year, as well as a finalist for the Washington State Book Award in nonfiction. Her writing on care labor and the care economy has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, New York Magazine, and featured on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and Fresh Air with Terry Gross. A first-generation Filipina American, Garbes lives with her family in Seattle.

A Note About Pricing

In an effort to make our events as accessible as possible, Scribente Maternum offers a tiered pricing model. While this session is valued at the Partner level, any amount is accepted and any additional support is appreciated. Thank you!