Thread by @AbraarKaran

THREAD
1/ Many people have been saying "thank you" to me for working on #covid19 response

I've been thinking about this a lot

There is a lady who cleans the cubicle where I have been working each night- she's there later than I am

But I'm not sure that anyone has thanked her

2/ We've had many conversations over the last few weeks, about her life/kids/#covid19

She is originally from El Salvador; we spoke about this too

She exposes herself to keep our workspaces clean and protect us- but who is protecting her?

Who is recognizing her? thanking her?

3/ She, too, is a hero, just like doctors, just like nurses

Those who are most forgotten and taken for granted- the people making your food, cleaning your offices or houses, those who cannot afford to miss work, bc that is life/death for them

We owe them a lot.

4/ Many of these people were subject to policies like #publiccharge

Many of these people don't have a doctor to call up if they have symptoms

Many are afraid of deportation still; they can't afford to trust our health system either

5/ Yet they are a big reason society is still running.

As a doctor, I recognize so much similarity in what I'm doing and what that lady cleaning the office space is doing.

She too is on a frontline. If not for her, I could be sick

The difference is how invisible she is

6/ Let that all sink in

There will be a world post #covid19

Remember that there were many heroes- some visible, on television or twitter, & that's great

But so many who don't get recognized; who systematically are silenced and exploited

7/ When the time comes to fight for them and protect them

Remember what they did for you during this time

They, too, saved your life while risking theirs.

#covid19

8/I'll make this more personal, bc it is

The lady I described-- the woman from El Salvador-- reminded me of Tila, the woman who raised me

I moved here from India when I was 1.5 years old

Growing up my parents, brand new to this country, both worked full time, straight hustle

9/ I was raised by my grandma, who passed away from cancer when I was young

& by Tila- an immigrant from El Salvador

I spoke Spanish & Hindi as a kid, literally translating for my grandma & my nanny bc they couldn't understand each other

Tila was my second mom, & still is

10/ I'll never know exactly how tough it was to be Tila

but I know the stories of all the struggle she went through/ lived some of them

As fellow immigrants, my parents did what they could to help her/her family as well

Tila was the person who would be home for me after school

11/ As a kid, that was everything- just knowing there would be someone there for you

Lots of kids don't have this luxury

When I saw that woman cleaning the cubicle, I saw a woman who raised me

A #hiddenhero

Highlight the people that don't get credit- credit they deserve