It used to be pretty common when someone might ask another “What’s your dream job?” the other person would respond with a point where their passion or hobby met an opportunity to make money. If you’re a millennial—elder millennial, as they call us in our late 30s, early 40s—a generation older and maybe even younger. There’s been a shift in the last decade or so, though. Asked the same question and responses are more likely to be something like, “I don’t dream of work.” Dreams are one thing; reality, another. There is work and lots of it.
For a brief period at the beginning of the pandemic, this country acknowledged the importance of everyday workers it had overlooked for years. Essential workers, like bus drivers, cashiers and restaurant servers were extended gratitude and grace. But capitalism isn’t keen on either of those virtues. We at Black Girl Times and The Lighthouse | Black Girl Projects are, so we’ll spend this month—when Labor Day is celebrated—discussing work, rest and what happens in between.