When I arrived in Chicago as an elected UDW delegate to the 47th AFSCME International Convention, I carried more than a delegate badge. I carried my experience as an IHSS provider, a mother, an advocate and a UDW member from San Diego.
Shikha Bansal’s caregiving journey is shaped by devotion, sacrifice, and a deep belief in her daughter’s potential. A San Diego County resident for more than 11 years, Shikha began her path as an IHSS provider in January 2025. While her time as a provider is relatively recent, the care she gives is rooted in years of lived experience as a parent and advocate.
California lawmakers are once again targeting the IHSS program to fix the budget deficit. With federal cuts looming, they’re preparing to balance the budget on the backs of home care providers and the people we care for.
We cannot allow this to happen!
For Gary, Bakersfield has always been home. It’s where he went to school, built his career, and now raises his youngest son, Edward. Edward is 11 years old, non‑verbal, autistic, and full of life. Before becoming his full-time caregiver, Gary worked in fabrication and security. His life was straightforward then; clock in, clock out, go home. But when Gary realized his son needed more support, he stepped into a role he never expected but fully embraced.
When Laura moved from Uruapan, Michoacán to Bakersfield 22 years ago, she was looking for a place where she could build a life for herself and her family. “We had spent years visiting the U.S., crossing through Tijuana with our visas, so when it came time to move for good, the transition felt natural for me and my family” she says. She didn’t know then that Bakersfield would become the heart of her caregiving journey.
SAN DIEGO, CA – The United Domestic Workers (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930) strongly condemns every House Republican who voted today in
When Governor Gavin Newsom released his 2025 May Revise Budget Proposal it included slashing overtime hours for IHSS providers from
The United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930) emphatically oppose Governor Newsom’s Proposed cuts and policy changes that will
April is Autism Awareness Month—a time to honor a vibrant, diverse community of individuals and the care providers, parents and
We’re celebrating Filipino American Heritage Month! Together, we’ll continue celebrating and uplifting contributions of our Filipino community across California every
As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, having an emergency plan isn’t just important—it’s essential, especially when we
This week members across the state came together to celebrate National Register to Vote Day at local events. Together, we
March was Women’s History Month, and as a union made up mostly of women, every year we celebrate and uplift
February was Black History Month, and every year we celebrate and uplift not just Black history but also those making
This Labor Day, UDW members from Riverside and Orange Counties rallied alongside union siblings from across Southern California to demand safe staffing at Kaiser Permanente hospitals.
BY JANICE ROTHSTEIN BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—In between the historic storms directly hitting this area of California, members of the Communist Party’s San
In 1989, Franklin Vermillion watched as a group of friends gathered around a booth at his local burger joint communicated
The last few years of self-growth while we adapted and learned to live with a virus that devastated our communities
Rene and Bobby Joe Carrasco have been inseparable since they were kids. In a family of 15 siblings, their bond
Salvador Lopez Segura of Kern County is an IHSS provider for his sons, David and Cesar, who live with rheumatoid
Magdalena Castillo cares for her 38-year-old daughter, Leticia, through the IHSS program. Leticia is the oldest of three siblings and
