A
t the height of the Harvey Weinstein scandal,
Mónica Ramírez, then president of Alianza
Nacional de Campesinas (National Farmwork-
ers Women’s Alliance), penned the now-famous
Dear Sisters letter comparing the abuses of
power experienced by female farmworkers to that of women
who work in the entertainment industry. The missive helped
ignite the Time’s Up movement and expanded its focus to
include women outside the confines of Holly wood. For this
shoot, Ramírez (photographed in a Phenomenal Women
Action Campaign T-shirt, a nod to the group’s work with
organizations like Girls Who Code) chose five L.A.-based
workers from low-paying industries to spotlight their vigor,
voice, and pride in their positions. “All workers, no matter
where they work or what they earn, deserve to be treated
well,” says Ramírez. “I want to highlight the contributions
of everyday women who make the world turn.”
MARTHA SELLERS As an Organization United for Respect
(OUR) member, the retail employee advocates for better
health care, reasonable hours, and more kindness in her in-
dustry. “A badass woman is assertive without being rude,” she
says. “Your job is what you make it, so you have to improve it.”
R I N A CH AVA R R I A Through the United Food and Commer-
cial Workers (UFCW) labor union, she negotiates for better
hours and living wages. “I have a voice. I’m comfortable
speaking out,” says Chavarria, who is proud of her physically
demanding work at a meatpacking facility. “I want to teach
my kids to dream big and fight for those dreams.”*
MARCARIA SANTOS After she was sexually harassed on
the job, Santos, a housekeeper, joined the Unite Here labor
union to push for mandatory panic buttons in hotels. “I love
being a housekeeper. You meet people from all over the
world,” she says. “But I want to be valued, I want to feel safe
at work, and I want to empower other women.”*
ELODIA SALVADOR The farmworker, who knows the
vegetables she harvests feed thousands, joined Líderes
Campesinas to learn more about her rights. “I love giving
myself the opportunity to learn and share that [knowledge]
with my co-workers so they know about their rights too.”*
ALEJA PLAZA The caretaker lobbies for common benefits
like sick leave through the National Domestic Workers
Alliance. “My job makes all other jobs possible,” she says.
“ You ca nnot be at peace i f someone is not t a k ing ca re of the
person you love who needs it.”
the Ladies
THESE COURAGEOUS WORKERS ARE FIGHTING
FOR RESPECT ACROSS ALL INDUSTRIES
BY SHALAYNE PULIA
PHOTOGRAPHED BY BE AU G RE ALY STYLED BY SUE CHOIFrom left: Martha Sellers, Rina Chavarria,
Marcaria Santos, Mónica Ramírez,
Elodia Salvador, and Aleja Plaza.
Hair: Dritan Vushaj for Forward Artists.
Makeup: Daniele Piersons for Art Depart-
ment. Manicure: Mel Shengaris. Set
design: Daniel Horowitz for Jones Mgmt.
Production: Kelsey Stevens Productions.FEBRUARY 2019 InSTYLE 55BADASS WOMEN
*Interviews translated from Spanish