Welcome to week two of our Women’s History Month series. March is Women’s History Month, commemorating the vital contributions women make to history, culture and society. To celebrate, we’re honoring some of the amazing women who have worked with CCC for 12 years or longer. Some of these women have worked at CCC more than 25 years! We thought you’d like to get to know them a little better. We posed a series of questions to them about their early days at CCC, favorite memories and more. Each week, we’ll share one or more of the questions we asked along with our participants’ answers.
This week, we focus on what has kept these women working at CCC over the years. The mission, the clients and the coworkers have helped these women build a professional home here with the agency.
Linda Hudson: The intention of the organization’s mission is what keeps me here. Despite all the challenges I’ve faced, I am so grateful for all the hard work that is done here. I love how we meet folks just where they are and provide services with pride and dignity. I’m also thankful for the journey (roses and thorns) and where I see the organization going. It’s really inspiring.
Vivian Lackey: I’ve stayed at CCC because of all the opportunities. After completing my bachelor’s degree and five years at Letty Owings, I wanted to move into a leadership position to support the people doing the work and use my education to work in the program management duties within a nonprofit. I learned there was a supervisor position at the Employment Access Center open. I raised a son with a disability and watched him get help through Vocational Rehab Services with a job coach. That process changed his future and gave me hope for him to have opportunities and be independent. I knew it was similar to the work on this program. I was on the Diversity Steering Committee with Freda Caeser and she encouraged me to apply. I was so thrilled that this organization supported internal growth and that I was offered this amazing opportunity in 2014. The beauty of landing this job is I saw many of the Letty Owings Center women come through the Employment Access Center and begin careers and reach a higher potential. I can only say it has been a blessing to do this work. Also being able to hire and work with folks who also have come through our programs and see how they care so much about the others coming up behind them. It is such a beautiful orchestra.
Vivian will be celebrating 25 years sober on March 16th. A huge congratulations to her for this amazing accomplishment.
Maria Rivera-Moodt: I’ve stayed at CCC to help others. There is no better feeling than having someone tell you how much you have helped them and changed their lives for the better. Also, my fellow coworkers. I have had many professional relationships throughout my time here.
E.V. Armitage: It’s the people who have kept me at CCC – the people we serve, and the people we hire. CCC’s mission attracts incredible people to work here. I have learned so much, and continue to learn, from my co-workers and from CCC’s clients. There are so many powerful CCC stories of hope and transformation and those stories are still being created here every day.
Leslie Tallyn: I stay at CCC for the opportunity to serve my community and do interesting and challenging work. One of my favorite quotes is from JFK’s speech at Rice University, when the moon program launched—he said, “we choose to go to the moon … not because it is easy, but because it is hard.” And he went on to say that it was an endeavor that was worthy of the best that our country had to offer, because it would organize all of that energy and brainpower in pursuit of greatness. CCC’s mission is to end homelessness—a hugely complex problem that is the direct consequence of profound social and economic injustice. Everyone who works here chooses to get up every day and work together to solve the problem of homelessness, and it’s a privilege to work in partnership with them. It also helps that I really love the team I work with—even on the hard days, they bring me joy.
Achieving Central City Concern’s mission would be impossible without dedicated, compassionate people. Interested in joining our team? Check out our careers page to learn more.
