Aquí Entre Nos (Just Between Us): Engagement of Hotel Housekeepers During Sociopolitical and Environmental Change.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Aquí Entre Nos (Between Us) is a community-based participatory research project to engage rural, ethno-racially diverse hotel housekeepers in a right to work state during a time of national anti-immigrant policy, wildfires and emergence of a global pandemic. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to (1) build trust and social support with the hotel housekeeping community, (2) learn about the occupational health, safety, and workers' rights challenges, strategies, and solutions held by workers, and (3) develop a workforce-driven research and action agenda to improve labor and health conditions. METHODS: Participatory mixed methods rooted in popular education are described to form an advisory board and engage the workforce. LESSONS LEARNED Trusted relationships built through community organizing around immigration, housing, and minimum wage were critical to engage and drive a worker centered research agenda. CONCLUSIONS: Despite challenges, housekeeper advisors defined a research agenda that addressed immediate-and long-term needs of the workforce.