We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dani Robles. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dani below.

Hi Dani, thanks for joining us today. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

The lesson I learned is the value of labor organization.

When I was younger, I was a bit more optimistic about what work was like. They always frame work as the next big stepping stone when you’re in college. They have a whole entire culture just about “getting a job”. They have entire clubs or programs that are all about cosplaying as business leaders. I spent so much time as a part of an entrepreneurial origination thinking it would work great as a resume builder or a platform for networking. Turns out it didn’t, and that time would have been better spent practicing my instrument.

Eventually though I did end up getting a job, and it was alright. I did my work, probably a little too good at first. It was a small company, owner always said we were a “family”. Wages didn’t keep up with inflation and it became increasingly harder to justify working for this company. Eventually I approached my boss and asked for a raise. He had plenty of reasons why he couldn’t, but what I remember most is him telling me that he felt “betrayed” by me asking for raise. He alluded that we are a family and that I’m causing tension in the family by rocking the boat. He made my situation feel like it was my fault and that I should be grateful for a job, and I ate it up because I was young and stupid.

Not too much after that I got written up for discussing wages with another employee. It wasn’t until much later that I discovered that discussing wages is a federally mandated right and what the company did was illegal.

I could tell you plenty of stories about this company, but really the lesson that I learned that is that work is inherently exploitive. It doesn’t matter what your job is, every single job outside of ownership in this country is exploitive. The existence of any job implies that that job adds value to the company, but a worker is never paid equal to what they generate. If there is no leftover profit or value to kick upstairs after paying the worker, the job wouldn’t exist. Anytime you work for a company, you are being exploited. The real question is how much exploitation are you willing to put up with.

This is why I feel labor organizing is so important. Workers in the United States have far less rights than those of other European countries. For that reason, we need to make sure we use the rights that we do have. Organize, unionize, discuss wages. They are all important tools to even the playing field between the working class and owner class.

Eventually I was let go from this company. The covid shut downs were about to happen and they asked the employees to agree to new terms. This was all based on an individual employee basis. I had discuss with the other employees about organizing, even taking the first steps to form a union so that we would all be on the same page going into the shut downs. Unfortunately it only takes one person to ruin it for everybody. Somebody told the owners that employees were organizing, that person singled me out as the person manifesting it, and within the day got an angry email from the boss. He told me he was hurt that I was organizing behind his back and that I was being let go for betraying him. Funny thing is, I later found out this was illegal too. You can’t be fired for attempting to unionize. I had it all in writing too. The issue once again was that I was young and stupid, too afraid to stand up for myself.

All in all, I’m grateful I was let go, because it forced me to start taking work as a freelance musician, teacher, and songwriter. I have also began working for another company for a company that respects a workers rights to unionize.

One thing that always has confused me over the years is talking to workers who don’t respect organization. I was working on a project with a gentlemen who made stated that workers who complain are weak and that ‘real men’ just suck it up and do what they’re paid to do. I never understood this argument. To me it seems the other way around. I think workers should be proud to stand up for themselves.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a musician, teacher, songwriter. I write songs under the alias CalicoLoco, and I have been working as a piano teacher for the past 8 years. I am not taking new students, so please don’t ask! :)

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Get involved with your local art community. Of course you can always support financially by purchasing things, that’s a given. But get involved and make friends at the ground level. What local shows are happening near you? Who are the local artists at your street markets? Any local writers? Your support doesn’t just need to financial. These people are normal regular folks, talk to them, be their friends! Be a part of your local scene.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

Honestly I think it’s embarrassing.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calico.loco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CalicoLocoBand
• Twitter: https://x.com/calicoloco
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/10kAGcZwCoG8EK3mHHIfhX?si=wJf_5j2FQHaxK2vgOZzC6A

Image Credits

First photo (santa clause one) – Victoria Marie Photography

All other photos by Tracy Conoboy