Dignity: One Band One Sound 

Dr. Lee:
I asked Mr. Miles why his roommate was late, he says he guesses he overslept. I asked, “Why didn’t you wake him?” and he says he is not his mother. Section leaders, what is our concept?

Section Leaders:
One band, one sound!

Dr. Lee:
One band, one sound. When one of us is late, we are all late. When one of us looks or sounds bad, we all look and sound bad. So what’s the concept?

The Band:
One band, one sound.

The movie Drumline 

“One Band One Sound” is a quote from the movie Drumline. It means that no one person is greater than the mission and that is to create the perfect sound. I try to carry that message and live by it. No one person is greater than the mission. When I think about “One Band One Sound” the two people that emulated that message were my parents Wayne and Phyllis King. It was a journey for them to get there since they first met in 1975. My mom was a single parent with 3 boys, and Wayne King (Pop) was an electrician, and they both worked at the Polaroid factory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They had many makeups and breakups along the way, but they remained connected through the good and bad times.  

We always hear that a marriage or committed relationship is 50/50 but sometimes it can be 60/40 or even 80/20. Each of us has had challenges in our lives and when we have a partner that can help lift us up, it is a blessing. That is what my mom and pop had, especially during the last 15 years they were together. When my mom was struggling, pop was her anchor and when pop struggled with health challenges, my mother became his primary care provider. They were able to retire, move south and live out the rest of their lives together, loving one another.  

I will tell you that between 2015 and 2023 (when my mom passed) my mom was the primary caregiver for pop. It was probably a 95/5 split with my mother taking up the 95%, but my mother would not have agreed with that. She would say it all balanced out because there were times when Pop had to carry the load. When many on the outside questioned my mother and her commitment to caring for her husband, she saw it as her love for a man who stood by her through the good and tough times.  

“One Band One Sound” We were the Kings and Redds. Growing up with just my mother and two younger brothers, we were one. We may have fought amongst each other but when you tried to break us down, we were “One Band One Sound.” My mother instilled in us the importance of loving one another and using the quote from the Mighty Ducks. “The Redds Fly Together.” No matter where we were in the world when one of us called for help, the other 2 were there. It was that mindset our mother gave us.  

As I have grown and matured and have my own family, I instill in them what my parents taught me. As I have grown as a nurse and a leader, it is about the mission, vision, and values and not about Charles Redd having his name in lights. My success represents the support of my family, friends, coworkers, and partners. I have been given a unique opportunity to be a voice for those who need someone to help speak their truth. When I tell people that I am the Diversity Officer for all 130,000 people in Berkshire County. It is my way of creating that one sound and that none of us are greater than the rest, but each of us has gifts that can help make a difference for others every day.  

I dedicate this post to the people that have had the most impact on my growth as a person. My Mom and Pop, may you rest in peace. My brothers Ken and Tracy, my children Cassandra, Dakota, and Anthony, and my wife Erin. You all are my North Star.  

I hope your holidays are filled with many blessings. 

Charles Redd RN 

Dignity Freedom Fighter