It has been 375 days since I started my role as Diversity Officer for Berkshire Health Systems (BHS). Often when we start a new job, and we pass the year one benchmark we look back and evaluate how we are doing. I asked myself these questions. What were my successes? Where can I do better? What is my plan for the next year? It is important to honestly evaluate yourself and your work. It is even more important for me because this Diversity work is new for me. I have been a frontline nurse as well as a nurse leader. I have spent half my life in health care but never have I been in a position to be responsible for the diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy for an entire organization. My work is not just within the organization but also in building relationships outside the organization. Anyone who has taken on the role of DEI Officer in health care understands how important building community relations is.
When I started this role my goal in the first year was to get out in the community and begin to build relationships. It was challenging for me because I knew that I would need to talk to people. It wasn’t that I didn’t like talking to people because that was the best part of my job as a nurse. It was the fact that when I was out in the community, I represented Berkshire Health which meant that what I said and did reflect on the 4000 employees who I work with and for the community I represented the place where they receive their health care. This meant that they would share all their experiences and the experiences of their friends and families who utilized our services. Sometimes the stories were about great experiences and sometimes the not-so-great experiences.
When I was out in the community there was this sense of excitement when they heard we had a DEI officer at BHS. What I was hearing from them was that this was a much-needed position and to them this was a sign that the health system wanted to strengthen the connection between the community and the organization. I was able to meet some amazing people in the county. People who were dedicated to helping others. We have some challenges, but I have never worked with a community that is more committed to helping those in need. I am proud to say I live in the Berkshires.
I have had many great opportunities since I took on the job of diversity officer. I was able to speak on Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday and I was featured in stories on the news and in the newspaper. I was able to support Berkshire Community College (BCC) that started my career as a nurse and changed my life. I am on a billboard for BCC, but even better than that I will have the opportunity to speak to students who are now in the nursing program. This has been an amazing rollercoaster ride.
All these things are great, but do you know what I cherish the most? I am humbled in the fact that the people in this community trust me enough to share their stories. It is important because their trust in me means they have growing trust in the health system I represent and that they receive their care from. This journey is bigger than the individual. What we start here has the opportunity to change the lives of many here in the Berkshires for generations. We are making a difference. You may ask how I know we are making a difference? I could show you data and trends but what I heard two days ago for a community member carries more value than numbers. It is about the human experience.
This is as close as I can get to their quote,
“Charles. I want you to know what I am hearing in the community. I have been hearing so many more positive stories now than I ever have. People feel their voices are being heard and that they can see the changes for the better. The fact that you are opening North Adams Hospital has energized this community. I want to thank you and Berkshire for partnering with us and hearing our voices.”
“That’s all I have to say about that.”- Forrest Gump
Charles Redd RN
Dignity Freedom Fighter
Dignity Freedom Fighter 