From doing essential work to social good: Filipino racialized labor and social agency during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta,Canada

Abstract

Filipino (im)migrant workers are highly represented in essential sectors in Canada. They contribute to society but experience racism, more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using interpretive phenomenology from their narratives, I posit a rethinking of essential work beyond its labor value and recognize embodied complexities and intersections of Filipino lives in Alberta. Doing essential work creates social good based on their demonstrations of social agency, from volunteering to creating alternative spaces of belonging. A culturally nuanced approach makes essential work and social good connected in diverse ways, especially during challenging times.