Cleaning Quote by Lynn Nottage
“My grandfather was a Pullman porter, and my father put his way through college by cleaning floors at night in the libraries. I understand that working people are in some way the bedrock of my existence and the existence of many people here.”
About This Quote
Source Play: Intimate Apparel, 2003
Hard work of service workers underpins society and personal identity.
In simple terms: Service work forms the foundation of our lives.
Key Takeaway
Respect and support those who serve.
Themes
social class
family
labor
identity
Mood
reflective
grateful
Type
narrative
social commentary
When to use this quote
- college funding
- career counseling
- community support
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
socioeconomic mobility
intergenerational influence
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing labor reshape your values?
- What can you do to honor service workers?
A Different Perspective
Hard work alone may not overcome systemic barriers.
![“I don't know that Brandy [Burre] would ever categorize herself as being trapped, but I felt like I saw her being trapped. When she's cleaning the room and she puts the labels on the toys, that was something that my wife, who's also friends with Brandy, was very adamant that we try to capture. My…” quote by Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/222/robert-greene-498_adamant_i-don-t-know-that-brandy-burre-would-eve_70659.jpg)
![“Any small business owner wears many hats. We [New View Window Cleaning] are the salesman, bookkeeper, scheduler, cleaner, customer complaint department, etc. If you aren't organized and willing to do all these things (at least in the beginning) you are better off working for someone.” quote by Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/afd/tony-evans-1635_better-off_any-small-business-owner-wears-many-hats_78297.jpg)
