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February 2010 |
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The Imprint of a Person: BRENDA McCHESNEY
S By Miyoko Taylor |
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almost never tell a joke the way it was supposed to be told. That in itself was funny. So was the time she fell asleep in a yoga class. So was when I asked her how sure she was of something, she responded with her eyebrows raised and her nose scrunched, “I’m 55 . . . 55.2% sure.” At that point it was rather difficult to control not only my confusion but also my laughter since I’d never heard of someone being 55.2% sure of something. But that’s how she did things; every interaction was an opportunity to build relationships and she did it best through humor. Like I said before Brenda has and will continue to have a special place here at TCC. Who else loved food and the ritual of eating with friends so much that she would bring in extra to share? Or who else would be the first to check on you if it looked like you were having a bad day? She worked feverishly for the people here at TCC who she considered her family, and because of that she has become like many of those before her, one of those heroines imprinted in our minds . . . in our hearts. Until we collaborate again in one of our wild schemes, Brenda, good luck to you--our fellow team member . . . friend . . . sister. |
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Here at The Conflict Center we have a long, humble, and often times humorous history that lives on through stories and narratives. For those of you who don’t know, we started in a basement, then we were kicked out of that basement, and in the next place, a school gymnasium, we washed dishes in the bathroom sink. And throughout the stories people, like fabled heroes and heroines, impress upon those of us today here at The Conflict Center values of peace, justice, and integrity. Their energies live in the walls, our consciousnesses, and the very air of our organization. This last December due to budget cutbacks one of The Conflict Center’s most loyal and passionate team members was let go; her name is Brenda McChesney. For those of you who knew her, her upbeat character, quick smarts, and compassion earned her a coveted place in many people’s hearts. One of them—my heart. Her and I started business together, well, more accurately we started what is now the Business Programs department here at The Conflict Center. We in one capacity or another had always done business programs, but for the first time in our history there was a department dedicated to the sole purpose of generating income from organizations and Brenda was put in charge of growing this new department. Hands down she was and is a brilliant and effective leader. Personally, I learned how to advocate for myself professionally from her, but we as an organization gained a great deal of marketing and business knowledge from a person dedicated to social justice at all levels of society: from individuals to corporate culture and especially within families. But what really set Brenda apart from most folks was her fun charismatic character. She always came to work ready to laugh although she could |
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Brenda McChesney |