As the domestic worker rights movement evolved, the importance of worker voice and leadership increasingly became clear. Despite the passage of legislation, abuses had continued. Some legislative campaigns also seemed to come at the expense of base building. Damayan refocused on building worker leadership.
In 2015, Damayan organized its first-ever Workers Academy, a four-part workshop for Filipino domestic workers and labor trafficking survivor members. Damayan members shared their personal stories of migration, and learned the history of Filipino migration to the US, immigration and labor rights, strategy for immigration and labor cases, and the need to be organized.
“I was trained, I was schooled by Damayan. As a matter of fact, I attended almost two workshops already, two with Damayan. I learned how to hit them back, how to fight, and how to win. And I think I am starting to win by now.”