Dignity - Oct. 23, 2020

LEE: I grew up in Canton, Ohio, one of eight kids. My father was a veteran. He worked in a steel company. We had one paycheck to support the family. When I was a sophomore in college, I was working four jobs to put myself through school, my father lost his job. He was an engineer, he always had the pen in his pocket, his slide rule, but now they had computers, and so he knew that this wasn’t just about losing this job. It was about losing his career. I watched my parent struggle into their retirement. My father was never able to find employment again. The depression that it caused for my father. And so, you know, this is something that is really personal to me.

There’s no stress greater than not having a paycheck. And I think about the fact that one out of three jobs will not come back. And I look at those employees, and those workers, and think of my father. And think of how important it is for me not just to help families make it through this tough time, but how are we going to rebuild our economy and find the jobs of the future and make sure that those workers who were displaced by this pandemic can then get another job and continue to raise their families in dignity.

I’m Susie Lee and I approve this message.