October 29, 2025

The Forgotten Women of Welfare History: A Conversation with Alycia Asai

31 minutes

When we think of welfare history, most accounts center on policy or the experiences of recipients. But the story is much richer—and far more gendered—than we often realize. In this episode, historian Alycia Asai joins me to uncover the overlooked women who built, administered, and shaped America’s social safety net. From early charity work to the emergence of professional social work, we explore how women’s community care evolved into a career path during a time of limited economic opportunity.

Alycia Asai is an independent historian and the host of Civics and Coffee: A History Podcast, a weekly show exploring the people and events that shaped American history. She earned her master’s degree from Sonoma State University, where she studied the evolution of the social safety net in the United States with a focus on women in welfare administration. Trained in oral history, Alycia’s writing has appeared in Inside History and Nursing Clio.

Our conversation connects past to present—revealing how the debates surrounding welfare and public assistance funding continue today. We also highlight trailblazers like Frances Perkins, the visionary behind much of the Social Security Act of 1935, and the generations of women whose labor and leadership built the foundation of modern social work.

Alycia's Masters Thesis: Beyond Bureaucrats: The Sonoma County Women Behind Implementing Welfare Reform & the Affordable Care Act

Nursing Clio Piece: Hidden Casualties

Books Mentioned

Creating a Female Dominion in American Reform, 1890-1935 by Robyn Muncy: Amazon | Bookshop