Small Acts of Courage

This past year has been one for the books, especially as it relates to social issues. For me, I felt so drained and useless because I wondered what else I could do to help. As International Women's Day came around, I reflected on how I am contributing to making a change for women and humanity. Is it merely enough to hit the streets and march with the masses, donate money to charity, share issues of importance on social media, or spread the word to family and friends? Even though this does raise awareness, I never feel I am doing enough because I am not physically making the change. 

I've always admired women who are putting in the work to make a lasting impact on the world; such as Greta Thunberg, an 18-year old, who is raising awareness globally about our climate crisis, or all the women of the Black Lives Matter movement. Their courage and drive are inspiring and leaves me wondering if I could ever do what they are doing. It's overwhelming, but I know we have to start somewhere. Even a few small acts of courage in our communities could make a big difference. Recently, I was thinking about what I've done to help others, and one particular incident comes to mind. 

Years ago, before I got into Commercial Real Estate, I worked for a beauty manufacturer as an Account Executive. My role included dealing with colleagues who worked in the factory and naturally built a friendship with them. One day, I walked to the cafeteria to warm up my lunch, which was simultaneous with the factory workers. I noticed multiple people warming up their food in one microwave and asked a colleague why they were doing that. Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Why are so many people warming up their food in one microwave?

Colleague: Because there are five microwaves, but only three of them work. We get 30 minutes for lunch, and need to eat before going back to work.

Me: Has anyone told management about this? How long has this been going on?

Colleague: Of course, they've been told and have known of this for weeks.

Me: Why haven't they done anything about it? 

Colleague: Ay hija, porque no les importa, pero ellos saben.

I felt disgust, disbelief, anger, and sadness all at the same time. I stood there for a few more minutes just watching the desperation of people trying to warm up their food and have enough time to sit down to eat. I knew none of them would ever say anything because they were too afraid to lose their jobs. They would get through their days taking what was given to them, even if it was unfair. The first thing that came to mind was my own Mamacita and some of my aunts, who spent their lives working at a factory. I wondered how they were treated and if something similar would happen to them, would they have someone speak up on their behalf.

I got myself together, walked out of the cafeteria and back to my desk, determined to do something about it. I opened up a new email, addressed it to the COO, CEO, CFO, all the Directors, and HR, and I started typing. I wrote about what I had witnessed while I was in the cafeteria and explained how this could affect each person's health, mainly because it was summertime in the San Fernando Valley (we all know how hot the Valley gets in the summer). I was pretty strategic with my email because I noted how if people's health were affected by their working conditions, it would affect productivity, directly impacting sales and, ultimately, the company. I also offered a solution and asked if the microwaves could be replaced and have enough installed to meet their demand. I closed my email by sharing how people would feel more valued and, in turn, more motivated while on the job if they felt the company cared about them.

I spent the rest of the afternoon anxious. Whenever my phone rang, my heart sank because I thought I'd be called to the HR Director's office. I heard back from no one that day or the day after; I felt defeated and like a total failure. Two days later, as I settled in ready to start my day, I got a call from my colleague; she said, "Hija ven a la cafeteria pero ya." I rushed down, and as I walked in, I saw all the old microwaves being replaced with new ones, and a few additional ones were installed. I was speechless and so proud. I hugged my colleague tight and walked away with tears running down my face. When I got back to my desk, I pulled up my original email, hit Reply All, and wrote - THANK YOU! I never heard back from anyone, nor did I talk about it after that. I didn't care if anyone knew what I had done. I just wanted everyone I worked with to be treated the way I'd hope my Mamacita and Tias were. 

That incident is one of my proudest moments, and since then have committed to always speak up for the voiceless individuals who don't dare speak up for themselves. Sometimes the most significant impact comes from the change that takes place in silence. I often wonder what kind of impact we can make in the world just by being more courageous.

Xoxo - G

Do you have a moment you feel proud of? If so, share in the comments below. We've love to hear about it.

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