Purpose
To make visible the often-unseen care labor that enables events, publications, projects, and other forms of work to happen; recognizing not only those who produce, but also the networks of care that make production possible.
What need does it address?
- Making invisible care labor visible
- Recognizing the collective nature of production and achievement
- Acknowledging the contributions of caregivers
- Challenging the idea that success is solely individual
- Contributing to the cultural recognition and valuing of care
How can it be practiced?
1. Reflect on the care network behind your work.
When preparing an event, publication, project, or other piece of work, ask yourself:
“Whose often-unseen labor made it possible for me to do this work?”
This may include:
- Someone who cared for your child
- A family member or friend who took on household responsibilities
- Someone who looked after your pet
- A person who prepared meals for you
- A friend who provided emotional support
- Anyone whose care made your everyday life more manageable
2. Make your care network visible.
In event programs, reports, websites, organizational charts, or acknowledgement sections, consider recognizing not only team members but also the care networks that supported the work.
For example:
“We acknowledge the often-unseen care labor that made the preparation of this report possible…”
or
“We thank those who provided childcare throughout this event…”
Examples include:
- A Care Acknowledgements page at the end of a book or report
- Verbal recognition of care networks during an event opening
- A section on a website where team members share the care relationships that support their work
- Organizational diagrams that make care relationships visible alongside formal roles
- A short closing video dedicated to acknowledging care labor in a project
3. Personalize your acknowledgements.
You may choose to list names only, or also describe the forms of care you wish to recognize.
For example:
- “…for caring for my dog during this project.”
- “…for accompanying my child while I worked.”
- “…for preparing meals before every meeting.”
- “…for listening to me during difficult days.”
4. Make care recognition part of organizational culture.
Rather than reserving care acknowledgements for special occasions, consider including them in events, reports, publications, and project closures on a regular basis.
Over time, acknowledging care labor can become a cultural practice rather than an exception.
5. Invite others to participate.
You may invite participants, team members, authors, or collaborators to recognize their own care networks.
Doing so reminds us that most forms of work are made possible through relationships that often remain unseen.
Things to consider
- Obtain consent before sharing anyone’s name.
- Care labor should not be romanticized; it should be recognized.
- Respect the wishes of people who prefer not to be publicly acknowledged.
- Care networks extend beyond family members and should not be understood narrowly.
- This ritual seeks to make invisible labor visible; it does not assume caregiving responsibilities are natural, inevitable, or obligatory.
The Ihtimam Perspective
Ihtimam Rituals offer practical ways to strengthen care relationships in everyday life. However, lasting solutions to the invisibilization of care require changes not only in daily practices, but also in organizations, policies, and systems.
Invisible care labor sustains much of what we produce, organize, publish, and celebrate. Recognizing these networks helps shift our understanding of achievement from an individual accomplishment to a collective and relational process.
For more structural approaches, explore the Care Policy Recommendations Tool:
You can also use Ihtimam’s Care Mapping Template or Digital Care Mapping Tool to identify and reflect on the care networks that support your work.
Shared by
This ritual was shared by Ihtimam’s Co-Nurturers.
Ihtimam Rituals is a living collection of care practices developed by individuals, communities, and organizations in their everyday lives. You can contribute to this collective archive by sharing a ritual that strengthens care relationships in your own daily life.