There are days when I want to give up. When it seems like the challenge is so great that I will not be able to overcome it. There are moments when I lose hope, or I question if I am making a difference. I know the answer to that question but sometimes your purpose or your mission can get lost in the everyday “stuff” that puts roadblocks in front of you. I can get so focused on the obstacle that I miss the opportunity to figure out how I am going to face this challenge and overcome that obstacle. It is easy to focus your energy on the problem and forget that you are responsible for helping create the solution. Every so often I am reminded of that by the amazing people I get to meet every day.
I have been blessed with the opportunity to be the first diversity officer for Berkshire Health Systems. Much of my role focuses on the health of our community. Because of that I get to be out in the community, and I get to meet some amazing people. Yesterday evening I got to spend some time with a community group called BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color) in Recovery. It was a great meeting with great conversation. What impressed me the most was that many in the group were in different stages of their journey and the majority of the conversation was around helping others. Imagine this, you do not know if you will have a place to live in a few months but still you talk about how we need to do things to help our youth. You talk about breaking the cycle that can lead to addiction and to give our young people the opportunity for success. We are going into the coldest months here in the county. You know the chances that you may have no place to call home, but your commitment is to give back and to fight for those who have no voices. The people I get to meet and the stories they share are what drive me every day in this work to make a difference.
People will often tell me how I motivate them or that inspire them. It is great to hear that but the people who are out on the frontlines making the hard decisions and give when they have little to give, they are the real inspiration for me. They are the reason I climb that mountain that looks unscalable. They are the reason I fight every day to make sure their voices are heard. They are the reason I do this job.
To my partners in the community thank you for inspiring me and I will be there by your side as we continue to fight this battle that will bring generational change.
You are all my Heroes.
Prayers to all in Florida and all those trying to recover from Helene and Milton.
Charles Redd RN
Dignity Fredoom Fighter
Dignity Freedom Fighter 