We celebrate the rich and famous. The names of top athletes dominate our screens. We follow the latest fashion trends, stay updated on celebrities’ love lives, and count the days until our favorite artists release new albums. But what about the quiet individuals who work behind the scenes to keep our world running? Every day, millions of workers clean our streets and deliver our packages. According to the International Labour Organization, over 2 billion people worldwide work in the informal economy, representing nearly 60% of the global workforce. They form the invisible backbone of society — yet their labor is met with low wages, unsafe conditions, and near-zero recognition. Why do we fail to acknowledge those whose labor sustains the world as we know it? Behind every clean city, there are forgotten health heroes. Sanitation workers play a fundamental role in keeping our homes and cities clean. They contribute to society with multiple services that most of us only notice when something goes wrong, like a clogged drain or an overflowing toilet. Sanitation workers’ labor is vital for our health as a whole. Without them, our cities would be uninhabitable, yet they lack access to decent wages and opportunities. They face dangerous working conditions, including exposure to toxic waste and lack of protective equipment. It is essential to recognize and appreciate their contributions to our communities. It’s time we give them the respect, honor and fair treatment these vital workers deserve. Who has not eagerly waited for a package to arrive? Yet we rarely stop to think about the delivery drivers who work tirelessly to get our packages safely into our hands – day or night, storm or snow. The data provided by the study “Las plataformas de entrega a domicilio en la economía mexicana” is striking: since the launch of the first digital platform in 2012, autonomous work has increased by 150%. It is estimated that currently 243,794 people work as delivery drivers on applications. The labor of delivery drivers is fundamental to convenience. Without them, our homes and workplaces would lack the products and services we need. It's time to acknowledge that the real pillars our society is built upon are not the rich or the famous, but the anonymous workers who sustain it behind the scenes. Their dedication represents the foundation of our economy, our well-being, and our society as a whole. Sooner or later, we will realize our society’s true pillars are not celebrities or CEOs, but the invisible hands that hold it all together. Their legacy is one of grit, sacrifice, and quiet perseverance. We owe them not just our gratitude, but our action. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “The true greatness of a nation is measured by the way it treats its most vulnerable workers.” Let us rise, not with empty speeches, but in action, to that measure.

WORKS CITED:

International Labour Organization (2024). Informality: A key challenge for development. International Labour Organization. https://ilostat.ilo.org/es/topics/informality/?utm_source

World Health Organization: WHO. (2024, March 22) Sanitation. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sanitation#:~:text=contributes%20to%20malnutrition.-,In%202022%2C%2057%25%20of%20the%20global%20population%20(4.6%20billion,basic%20sanitation%20service%20(2).

Hernandez, G. (2021,November 26). Trabajo en plataformas multiplicó los ingresos y el número de repartidores en México. El Economista. https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/capitalhumano/Trabajo-en-plataformas-multiplico-los-ingresos-y-el-numero-de-repartidores-en-Mexico-20211125-0071.html

El Economista. (2021). Las plataformas de entrega a domicilio en la economía mexicana. https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/el-empresario/Plataformas-de-entrega-a-domicilio-aumentan-valor-agregado-de-restaurantes-en-Mexico-20211206-0158.html