Thank you for joining me again this week. I’m willing to bet that most us have already heard of the Geoffrey Owens story but, if you happened to miss it let me give you a quick summary.

Last week a woman named Karma Lawrence took and shared photos of 

former Cosby Show star Geoffrey Owens (Elvin Tibideaux) working a cash register at a Trader Joe’s in New Jersey. The backlash at what appeared to be an attempt to shame the actor has been resounding but even louder has been the support of those rallying behind Owens. Many people, from big named celebrity to everyday individuals, have come to his defense. During an interview with

Good Morning America Owens, while wearing his Trader Joe’s name tag and Yale baseball cap, said this: “There is no job better then another job. It might pay better, it might have better benefits, it might look better on a resume or on paper, but actually it’s not better. Every job is worthwhile and valuable.”

As an immature kid, I grew up often ashamed of what my parents did for a living, especially my father. When we first came to the US neither of my parents had high school degrees so, they often had to take on positions like janitorial work to a make ends meet. My dad in particular worked in a chocolate factory which for a six-year-old with a sweet tooth wasn’t half bad. It wasn’t until I became old and noticed that the parents of my classmates and friends were doctors and lawyers that I became embarrassed of my father’s job. It felt awkward to disclose that kind of information to people whose parents did something so different from my own. The thing about my father though, is that he was never ashamed or embarrassed of the work he did. In fact, he took a great deal of pride in it. He took pride in work that feed his family and kept the proverbial roof over our heads and shoes on our feet. He worked hard at whatever it was that he did because he understood the value and the dignity inherent to work – any kind of work.  It took maturity to understand now that hard word is always rewarded when we take pride in what we do.

It wasn’t until I became a father myself that I really understood and appreciated the commitment my father made to his job and to us. For one months before working for the Chamber I worked as an Uber driver. My family and I had just returned to the US after spending the previous 2 years traveling the world. It had been an amazing experience but also a stressful one, especially for my daughter who wanted to finish high school here in the States. We made the difficult decision to come back but the adjustment process wasn’t an easy one. After about six months of being home and still not finding a position I decided to drive for Uber.

I loved it. From meeting Google executives to cleaning ladies and everyone one in between it was a job I really enjoyed – despite being one of the few Tesla Uber drivers out there. Eventually, I found and applied for my current role with the Chamber of Commerce which I also love. Getting to work on behalf of local businesses, advocating for you, talking with you – even if it means occasionally having my words misconstrued – is something I look forward to and take pride in every day.

 The Geoffrey Owens story this week reveals that this basic sense of pride in the work that we do is missing in so many of us today. Instead, we’ve placed value in the kind of work someone does. Is it glamorous? Does it pay well? Will it get me noticed by lots of people?  I would suggest we spend less time focused on those fleeting aspects of our jobs and instead focus on giving the best of ourselves to the work that we do. Hard work is always rewarded, and I would encourage those of you who are employers to take note of that hard work, value it and value your employees.

As always, I look forward to your thoughts and comments. See you next week Richmond

I believe that success is communal: ensuring the health, well being, and comfort of our families, friends, neighbors. I believe that success is best shared: bridging ties between corporations, local leaders, and constituents to create a city that will serve a snapshot into the best aspects of the American spirit: diversity, equity, and a drive to innovate.