Loyalty...To Thine Own Self Be True

The Greatest Loyalty in life is, above all, to thine own self be true." 
Charlie Lutes

I was willing to come home from school some nine years ago.
I was excited about using my new degree and about being engrossed in making a difference in my country. I am not sure everyone thinks about that, after finishing college and being exposed to new ideas, new ways of innovation and creative thinking coupled with a passion to solve problems and provide solutions.  I was full of passion, my passion runneth over.

I had passion for my country and passion for the love of a career in technology and had a strong desire to work for education. I could have gone anywhere...

Perhaps, I should have returned to the Police Force, which was my first career as young woman, where I gave six years of my life. I learnt more intensely there, a love for country, a strong work ethic, discipline and loyalty. Growing up literally on the Royal Bahamas Police Force, taught me what it means to stand for something, for someone and stand for others. It taught me comraderie, brother and sisterhood. I was young just turned 18 when I enlisted and impressionable.
I learned how to be strong!

After six years, I dreamed of doing more and I went to college where I obtained a degree in Information Technology. My first job out of college was working for a school in North Carolina as a Technology Specialist. I was thrust into doing something I loved. I used my degree in a fun and meaningful way infusing it into education, assisting teachers in effectively integrating it into technology,  working with great students and managing and sustaining the school's network. I loved my school and my school and those I worked with loved me. At the end of my work stint, I came home, not all by choice but by a extreme need or desire.

I arrived home in 2005 and was unemployed for two months.
Until finally one day, I spoke to myself and said that no jobs would be coming to me sitting at home.
So, I got up, dressed myself in my business suit, placed a few resumes in my briefcase
and headed to our Ministry of Education.

Why?  I would tell you why....
After leaving college and falling in love with technology and education being two powerful tools that can shape individuals lives, I ultimately decided that there were two areas of interest for me, working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and working in Ministry of Education.  I gave Education Ministry the first try although I considered re-enlisting on the Police Force,  however, that thought was short-lived.

How Did I Get My Job?

I was a walk-in...
No gimmicks and no lie.
I woke up on a Tuesday morning in October, dressed myself and prepared myself for my sojourn to the Ministry of Education. I walked in and spoke to a Clerk and told her,  I had just returned home and I was interesting in working for the ministry. I told of my degree and the idea of bringing my service to them. She politely asked if I filled out the Public Service Application, I politely smiled with confirmation. She said, I am sure they would get back to you.
I asked her, is there anybody I can see, she kind of shrugged...

A little disappointed, I begun to walk away. She beckoned me to come back, and pointed me to an office to the West of where I was standing. She said to me, to see the lady in there and asked me to speak with her. I did as she suggested. 

When I knocked and was beckoned to come in, there was a largely plumpish looking lady with a rather serious sturdy face that peered over the desk at me. I can say that I was somewhat intimidated at first but I was already in too deep. I began to talk...

I told this lady,  that I had just returned home and I have a desire to work in Education, bringing my skills and capabilities in the field of technology. I told her what I could do for them and how I feel that the Ministry can get the best of me and that I was ready to work and ready to be apart of their team, if they would allow.  I probably said, many other things but for some reason, I  reached into the heart of this serious, sturdy-faced woman and she began to smile. She got up from her office and told me to wait awhile and went out to another office and brought in a slim gentleman, who later, I learned was  one of the Deputy Directors of Education. She introduced me and I shared my plans of being apart of the team. He was convinced and invited me to return the next day for an interview.

To cut a long story short, this is how it all began, I walked in on a Tuesday, interviewed on a Wednesday and they sent me to work on a Thursday.

My gift made room for me...and I was grateful!

What does this all have to do with loyalty? I would be getting there, so bear with me.
Today's post may be a little longer than others because, I really have something that I have to share with my readers, especially my fellow Bahamian readers.

I just want to expound on the word loyalty or being loyal here, kindly indulge me...

Loy·al adjective \ˈlȯi(-ə)l\: having or showing complete and constant support for someone or something

Full Definition of LOYAL
1:  unswerving in allegiance: as
a :  faithful in allegiance to one's lawful sovereign or government
b :  faithful to a private person to whom fidelity is due
c :  faithful to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, or product
2:  showing loyalty
3: obsolete :  lawful, legitimate

In simple terms, loyalty means faithful, faithful to a cause, faithful to someone, faithful to an idea and so forth. I knew what it meant to be faithful!

Almost nine years later from my walk-in, I am completely utterly questioning what made me think that I can change the world or make a difference. I am by no means a pessimist but from the day I walked into Educations' building. I bred and bled passion for my assignment. I was sent to work in the area of Instructional Technology and Training. I was at first ostracized  and victimized by those who did not know me in my first six months on the job. This was a real shocker, as on my first day in the halls of the schools of North Carolina, I was readily embraced by my Principal, Teachers, staff and students. They believed in me and believed I could do the job which I so ably convinced them during my interview.

The six months was living hell with a Supervisor who was threatened by my gifts and my passion, so she made every day at the office unbearable until I was pulled out and reassigned six months later.
I stood my ground, I pushed myself into my work. I started a campaign of being a person that loved what she did and I showed it. I read, I planned, I worked, I created ideas and initiatives to solve problems, I wrote proposals and I worked with the schools, the teachers, the staff, anyone that reached out and asked for help. I built a team of the best teachers who had a love and a passion just like me. I was always searching for new talent because our system depended on showing people how we should love what we do. My team of brilliant talented teachers became the leaders in their areas...I would say, they are the "Best of the Best"

Nine years, I worked tirelessly, traveling throughout the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, driving initiatives, training, assisting, planning, collaborating and sharing my knowledge with anyone who was willing to learn. I Was a Loyal  Worker.  

I was true to others everyday, they would call me with a problem or a situation and I was delighted to help them. I loved my work!

You see, I wanted my organization to be the best, I had this weird dream that we could have led in our region, in that area of Educational and or Instructional Technology. Why, because we had the best  of the equipment and the brightest and the most talented committed teachers, I have ever encountered in any system. I loved our teachers and I loved my work. I boasted that I had the best job in Education, working with technology and people, which were two of my passions.

However, I was hated, ostracized, rejected, used and abused because of my gift, and that nine years later, despite strides, initiatives that I have made in the area of Educational Technology, I was left to rot in a novice position, never was reclassified,  had no room for growth and upward mobility and receiving a promotion was a joke...everything was Politics. 

I was overlooked countless times in my area where I believe I made a significant difference.

This has been one the hardest article I ever had to write because,  I am shedding light on a pervasive problem within our system and within our country.

Although I was working and doing my job, I was taking blows for doing it and doing it well. I was hated for my passion, knowledge and expertise. Some people around me was threatened by my candidness, assertiveness, my strength in area and my knowledge, I never understood that. As, I thought Education would at least embrace those who had those qualities. Nonetheless, I was attacked on every side and ostracized and to this date held down and overlooked because maybe I don't have the right last name, I may not have been of the right political persuasion, or perhaps, my youthfulness made them afraid to invest and take a chance in me, or it could be rather plain jealousy or envy...but I worked and I worked hard, despite my opposition...

I maintained my integrity and loyalty to my work and my organization.

I could get into deep personals here but I really want to talk about my topic of loyalty.

I wish that people would understand that loyalty is a gift that should be rewarded. A loyal person is one that dares to stand with you and hold you up, even when things are falling apart.

Let me say this, I am not afraid of competition, I encourage competition and the fact that I know in the world and in our system that there are many talented professionals as I am. However, at some point in my nine years, I laid foundation, blazed trails, created ideas and stood alone doing my job as someone that promoted the use of technology in our schools, trained and coordinated many of the instructional programs, troubleshooted and assisted with technical requests, was a support for schools, teachers and principals alike. I did it all! 

And I dare not blow my own horn but I just wanted to share that there are many like me that have done and are doing the same and many like me who have experienced what I have experienced working for this system and who have been overlooked and not appreciated for not just their great work but for their transforming work that made a difference to the educational landscape of our country.

There were many who are filled with passion such as I and maintained their loyalty to their organization, who dug deep in the trenches and went above the call of duty and I would if I could celebrate them, because education and educators shape our world.  They deserve the world's greatest awards. Sadly, their profession is grossly under-recognized and they are some of the most underpaid individuals on the planet.

To keep it simple, I gave my best to an organization that gave me nothing in return.

What this experience has taught me is that sometimes we placed everything we have in us elsewhere, when we should place it where it really matter...on us. We forget that loyalty to self is extremely important. We need to have allegiance to us first, because we matter. We do such great work for others and are often stepped upon and overlooked but we do not do great work for ourselves.

Before being tied down on your job what was your dream, what is that one thing that you would want to do now? What is the vision for your future?
I suggest you consider your life and do what it is that you love. I also may suggest that breaking out from a system that holds you down and does not appreciate you. Break-Out of the proverbial box and take the limits of your success. This may mean walking away from something that no longer serves you, excite you or something that keeps you in chains. You deserve more than just a mere job, your gift should definitely make room for you and push you towards higher heights.

At this time, there are being changes in our system, after blazing the trails and laying foundation, there are opportunities arising for positions, promotions and again, I have been overlooked and tossed aside. I finally understand how the system, the work, I have to think that life is less complex than playing politics, jealousy, or simply a poor organizational structure that do not have the proper measures in place to ensure progression in their system. 

Alas, I do not fight against the powers that be or their decisions, I made it a point to be loyal to myself. To do what is right by me. I had an awesome almost nine years of giving, serving and sharing my love and passion for technology in education. I had a number years of challenging myself to learn more so that I can be able to impart to the teachers that I serve. I had fun during the summers putting on the best workshop ever within the Department of Education and sharing and collaboration on our Facebook Technology User Group Page. I had the extreme and awesome pleasure to lead, work with and serve with the most brightest and talented trainers on this side of heaven and I am going to say this without contradiction and indeed the world. I am humbled that most of those guys put up with me all those years.

I don't know where I would be next month or next year, I hope that I would find a place that would celebrate me not tolerate me. I hope that my gifts would again make room for me in an organization that would embrace the me that I am. I hope that my loyalty would continue to shine elsewhere, but most importantly, I hope that I would be true to myself and my passion.

To my naysayers and all those whose intent  was on holding me down, you did not!
I chose to be where I was for the sheer love of it and the fun of it. I loved serving others and I believe I would do it again in some other industry and area because that is who I am...

But I want to say this, the same young lady, that walked into Education with her held head high looking for work with a willingness to serve, would be the same young lady walking out with her head held high, still full of passion and a willingness to serve anywhere else they would let her.

When the world tries to hold you down and make you feel small...don't let them. 
Find the strength to go after that dream that you had hidden for a while and take the cover off and put your passion behind it and do it.

Live Your Dreams!

Unveiled to Be Transformed
-Keisha