Uniting Immigrant Voices through Worker Co-ops
Lawyer and organizer, Sayde Leos, describes a career supporting labor rights and justice in Mexico and the U.S.
My name is Sayde Leos. I was born and raised in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico but now live in California, where I work at Dolores Street Community Services, a non-profit in San Francisco.
Through my role as a senior manager, I have been co-organizing and preparing to launch a worker’s co–op for the Latino community. I want to share my journey supporting this endeavor because—regardless of your status—a co-op and an LLC can offer crucial economic stability for immigrants in this country. And, if you are an advocate for immigrant rights, we need your support.
I still remember that Sunday morning when my dad called me to tell me about a particular dream he had. I was already studying in Mexico City and was thinking about quitting my preparation for a law career. "You were singing in the biggest chorus. There were people from all over, but I was able to hear your voice so strong and clear. I think you will be a voice for our people," he said. After that dream, I understood my path started after finishing law school.
After finishing my law degree in Mexico, I decided to conduct research on international public law at New York University. In the middle of my program, questions began to arise for me: why are so many talented people forced to leave our country? Why are our people living in such horrible situations in the US? Why do educated, talented, and capable people need to start from scratch, facing discrimination and poverty in the US?
With these questions on my mind, I moved to California with the intention of working on cases related to human trafficking and domestic violence, which I did for three years. I also worked on cases related to worker's compensation for two years before transitioning to the co-op field.
After taking a break from work to study for the California bar exam, I started applying to several non-profits. When Dolores Street interviewed me and sent me the job description, I was impressed with their vision. Their goal was to develop a replicable model that would demonstrate how to develop a business formed entirely by Latino immigrants. From a legal perspective, that could be risky, and from a social perspective, it would be incredibly difficult. I was ready for the challenge.
Cooperatives are based on the principle that every member of the co-op is both a worker and an owner, making it a democratic and equitable system. These worker-owners can use their ITIN numbers to pay taxes and manage the financial side of the business, regardless of their immigration status in the U.S. Within the growing U.S. economy, even small and medium businesses like our envisioned co-op are essential. As a team of four people, including non-profit directors and developers, we started the process. We took advantage of California's LLC (limited liability company) classification, which allows a couple of people to register a company as long as they are not classified solely as workers. We created the entire business plan with the help of co-op advisors from New York and Washington, covering every aspect from a feasibility study, to market research, training, and certifications.
Evaluating the market, we identified the potential for developing a home caregiving co-op. I recruited and trained 20 initial participants for five months, who developed every aspect of the vocational side, including the certifications needed as a caregiver, and all the training to cover the responsibilities of co-owning a business such as finances, decision making, administrative procedures, and team management, etc.
Presently, we are in the process of finalizing the co-op, beginning marketing and meeting with potential Bay-area clients. We plan to launch in May 2023. If you are looking for caregiving work in this region or if you are committed to transforming the kinds of possibilities available to immigrants within this U.S. system, please reach out.
Through supporting the launch of this co-op, I am reminded of my father’s dream. Alongside other immigrant workers, leaders, our voices unite in harmony.
Propina
Dolores Street Community Services offers a plethora of various resources and opportunities. From advocacy around housing rights to an immigration law center to guides for small business development, the DSCS is a long-running asset for the San Francisco area.
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