Sometime in August, Ros Tordesillas, a college friend of mine, contacted me to ask if she could use some of my music for a podcast she was putting together on migrant workers. I said sure, go for it.
The result is a compelling and real-life story about a Filipino named Mona who went from being a factory worker in the Philippines to an abused domestic worker in New Jersey, eventually escaping her employer/captor by stealing back her own passport, running away, and seeking refuge in the back of a Dunkin’ Donuts delivery truck. She eventually found her way and became an activist and an artist.
Listen to the podcast below, it’s hosted on a website called Feet In Two Worlds (FI2W) that tells the stories of immigrant workers. And this is the first episode of their podcast series called Dream City.
The fact that Mona’s experience isn’t unique is what makes the story so sad. So many others have undergone the same kind of modern slavery by people who pretend to be employers but who are closer to captors. I’m glad Mona was able to escape with her passport. But there are many many others who are still trapped in similar circumstances.
This is a fine example of the huge potential that podcasts have in spurring people to deeper reflection, and even action. Here’s hoping I get the privilege of providing music to more of the same.