We're all needed
There's immense power in feeling needed. Let's make sure all Oregonians know they are being counted on to assist our state.
Jessica Gomez is Founder/CEO of Rogue Valley Microdevices and serves on the OIT Board of Trustees, Oregon Healthcare & Oregon Business Development committees.
Like many who grew up in families that lacked stability, my early teenage years were a challenge for a variety of reasons. Teen recreational drug use was commonplace. Most of the kids I knew drank and smoked pot, and several went on to experiment with more hardcore drugs. There were even a handful of kids who were damaged by accidental overdoses, or became addicted and were never the same. Looking back on that time, I now realize how truly vulnerable I was, and how easy it would have been to fall into that same pit of despair.
What saved me in the end was the realization that there were other people in my life who demanded more from me as a person. People like my younger sisters and brother, who depended on me to stabilize our dysfunctional household. People like my grandmother who expected me to work hard and get an education. And, people like my aunt who needed help caring for her four-month-old baby girl while she underwent radiation therapy. In short, I was needed and therefore could not allow myself to fail.
I felt the weight of that responsibility all throughout my childhood. Now an adult, founder and CEO of my own company, a wife and mother, and a civic entrepreneur, I feel that same sense of responsibility to use the skills I’ve learned in life to help others.
I share this with you because I see our community struggling with homelessness, addiction, mental health issues, and increased crime. The big question is what do we do? What path do we take to build a healthier community? How do we convince those who are struggling most that it is possible for them to build a better life for themselves and their families?
I believe the answer begins with treating all people as valued members of our community, and most importantly communicating to them how very much they are needed. When you’re needed, you’re motivated, and when you’re motivated, you push yourself to take care of yourself and those around you.
In other words, people need expectations, and they need to be held accountable. We need social support systems that help lift people up, so they can see for themselves that there is a pathway out of what can sometimes feel like an endless cycle of poverty, perpetuated by self-sabotage.
If we truly want healthy communities in which people can thrive, regardless of where they come from or how many barriers they face, we must restructure our federal and state support systems to work for all Oregonians. We need to shelter the homeless, work through our healthcare and public safety systems to provide adequate mental health and addiction services, and we must address the issues that prevent our public education system from being truly excellent.
But here’s the catch: we will not have the resources to meet today’s challenges if we mandate our small business to stay closed longer than they need to be or raise taxes and fees that drive away the very businesses that work so hard to build wealth, within our communities. Even if taxes, fees, and fines contribute to good things in the long run, in the short run, they are creating a very real perception that Oregon is not a business-friendly state.
Let’s change that perception. Let’s champion being a state where people know they are needed and find joy in contributing to their communities. Let’s grow our economy and use the resources we have more efficiently. And most importantly, let’s work together to build a more resilient and prosperous state so all Oregonians have access to greater opportunity.
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Connect with Jessica:
@RVMicrodevices
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