Reflecting on the past two years, from where we started to where we are now, I cannot help but think about my own nursing journey. What stands out most is not my accomplishments, but something a manager once told me: that I lacked leadership qualities. Isn’t it ironic how we continue to hear the voices of those who told us what we would never become, despite everything we have shown ourselves to be?

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My nursing career began at Botsford Hospital in Farmington Hills. It was a wonderful community hospital that felt like a family, where people watched out for and protected one another. However, many of the perks and career opportunities seemed reserved for those within the inner circle, and I often found myself on the outside looking in. It was not because I lacked skill, experience, or dedication. I worked hard, earned a charge nurse position, participated in PNC for years, and helped develop processes through UPC. I was then, and remain today, one of my unit’s strongest advocates.

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When the collaboration between Botsford and Beaumont took effect, I was bullied out of my full time charge position. That experience made me realize just how lonely the workplace could feel without meaningful support or proper representation. Like many nurses, I began to feel more like a number within a corporation than a valued professional.

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Still, we continued.

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When COVID arrived, we continued caring for our patients under extraordinary conditions. Behind our masks, nurses led, adapted, and carried our hospitals through one of the most difficult periods healthcare has ever faced.

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Past experiences can leave lasting wounds that make it difficult to recognize our own growth. Over time, I have realized that my greatest rewards do not come through organized recognition or praise. They come through helping advance and protect the nursing profession.

Many of us may never have imagined reaching this moment, united as one union. Remaining at the bedside keeps me connected to the struggles nurses continue to face and reminds me how much work remains. Joining the bargaining team gave me the opportunity to work alongside other nurses to promote, protect, and strengthen our profession.

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A new union needs a strong foundation. Some of us helped begin that work, and now others must join us in building upon it and continuing the momentum.

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I envision a leadership team that listens to and understands the needs of our entire membership, not one driven by individual interests or personal gain. Every nurse’s voice should be heard. Experience should be valued. Loyalty should be respected. Opportunities should be fair and accessible to everyone.

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Our elected leaders must serve as strong gatekeepers between our nurses and the corporation while maintaining accountability through a meaningful system of checks and balances.

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I now understand why that manager from years ago may not have considered me a fit for her version of leadership. Perhaps she recognized that I would never be a puppet. My leadership has always been rooted in speaking up, questioning what is wrong, and advocating for nurses and our profession so that we can remain strong advocates for our patients.

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Together, we can build that kind of leadership in Local 2024.