Through this initiative, we are advancing the way we collect and share the voices of workers we serve. This initiative intends to develop a collection of interviews and professional images reflecting workers’ experiences. This interview is with Renelda Woody, a Client Coordinator at Community Bridges. She has been with Community Bridges for 1 year.
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On Her Background
“I am full-blooded Navajo of the Ta’chi’nii Clan (Red running into the Water Clan, in English) from the Navajo Nation. We call ourselves the Dine’ which means The People in English. We are located near the Four Corners here in Arizona. I am the youngest of three sisters and one older brother. I’ve always lived on the Navajo Reservation most of my life except for the past 3 years here in Phoenix.
“I have six beautiful children, three girls, and three boys. My youngest is three and my oldest is 17 right now. Unfortunately, they’re not here with me in Phoenix. They’re all with their guardians and around family while they go to school on the Navajo Reservation.”
Where She Is Now
“I now live in West Phoenix as a Client Coordinator at Community Bridges. Everybody that I work with has their own story. We all have our history. We all had to fight for the life we live now, for the resiliency and titles we hold under our belts. There’s no judgment there, and it’s all acceptance, and it’s all very welcoming.”
On Her Free Time
“I’m always working. Currently, I work Sunday through Friday, 10 hours a day. The first thing I do during my free time is rest, read, do chores, and take care of my two cats – Demon & Angel. I also look after my mental health and hang out with my close friends. I don’t have my family here, but they are a call away.”
On Her Career
“Being a Client Care Coordinator at Community Bridges has allowed me to reflect more on myself, my struggles, my history, and my recovery. I love that very much. Being able to bounce back from our history, such as past addictions, and what we have put ourselves through. That’s what I really like about working with Community Bridge.”
“We run into a lot of individuals who push away the help. You can hear that loss of hope inside of people and it’s very challenging. But if you’ve been there and I absolutely have. If you’ve said the same things. If you felt the same things as I have before, you know there is hope. All it takes is just someone kind to come across them and put their hand down and say, Hey, I see you! I hear you.”
“I really appreciated that I had someone there in my corner.”
On Her Challenges
“Before Community Bridges, I was in sober transitional living. It was really hard for me to go through all that alone. Having nobody that understood me. It got me very frustrated. It got me, you know, angry. It got me sad and all kinds of emotions. I’ve had my share of struggles, and it doesn’t stop. I’m doing a lot better than I did before but I still go through the struggles to this day.”
“All those uncomfortable changes led me to where I am now. I welcome any challenge sent my way, and with God in my heart and mind, I remain optimistic.”
“…All it takes is just someone kind to come across them and put their hand down and say, Hey, I see you! I hear you.”
On Her Interactions with WorkLife Partnership
“I called WorkLife Partnership because I want to overcome my obstacles. Community Bridges encourages our staff to always remember our mental health. “
“WorkLife Partnership gave me a lot of resources within my area. They’ve been very supportive. When I first got my apartment a couple of months back. I had nothing. I had no idea where I was going to start. I received some incentives to spend on the necessities I need for my new apartment. I’ve also recently scheduled an appointment with a therapist, regarding my past trauma, anxiety, fears, and struggles. The resources, they are legitimate.”
“I really appreciated that I had someone there in my corner.”
On Her Resiliency
“I feel like I wasn’t the greatest mom, daughter, friend, or employee. Because of my history with addiction but it played a part in me being more resilient and stronger”.
“I’ve also learned a lot from the way my parents taught me. My mom was very kind and very loving and she taught me a lot about forgiveness, about just being happy, enjoying life, and making the best of it. My father taught me my tradition will always come first, who I am, where I come from, and what I want in life. I always try to remember my parents’ teachings, their words, their love, and everything about them.”
“It’s a constant reminder of who I am and why I fight to become who I want to be.”
On What a Perfect Life Would Look Like
“A perfect life to me would be being a mother to my children again and being there every step of the way. I also want to clean up my mess from years ago, rebuilding that relationship with my children, their father, and my family. Facing and overcoming my fears and healing myself in all areas is the main goal for me. I’m not a quitter.”
“I am very interested in obtaining my bachelor’s degree in behavioral health at Grand Canyon University. I have been inspired to go back to school ever since I started with Community Bridges.”
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WorkLife’s Worker Voice Initiative aims to advance the way we uplift the voices of workers we serve, focusing on authentic stories from workers who experience systemic and societal issues that impact their ability to bring their whole selves to their jobs. If you’re interested in sharing your story, please email us at [email protected].