The History of Female Leadership in the NALC
This podcast’s purpose is to give a history of women who have stepped into leadership roles within the National Association of Letter Carriers, and discuss the leaders of now and into the future.
The History of Female Leadership in the NALC
Kelsie Crosbie
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SHOW NOTE: Connection issues (on my side) caused the recording to be a little rough at times, but Kelsie was so great I didn't want to scrap it and rerecord.
This episode features Kelsie Crosbie, trustee for Branch 78, Columbus, Ohio.
Welcome to the History of Female Leadership in the NALC podcast. I'm Craig Schaefer. I'm a city carrier in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, branch 1015. Today I am very fortunate to have one of my sisters from Leadership Academy. We just graduated. If you don't mind, go ahead and introduce yourself.
SPEAKER_01Hi, my name is Kelsey Crosby. I am from Branch 78 in Columbus, Ohio. I'm also a city letter carrier and I've been a member of the NALC for uh since I started. So uh a little over eight years now, going on nine.
SPEAKER_00All right, eight, nine years. Okay. So uh let's jump back a little bit. And what brought you to the NALC to begin with? Or to the Postal Service, excuse me.
SPEAKER_01Oh boy. Um I had a very strange childhood with say uh single mother, uh twin sister. I was kind of the black sheep of the family. So um I have been on my own since I was 16. Um kind of put myself through uh high school in a way and then into college, A D, uh Columbus College of Art and Design. So I call myself an art school dropout because I definitely didn't last. Um, but while I was in college, I fell into uh an underground music scene, the punk scene, um, lived a very wild life. I was uh homeless. I lived in a lot of communal spaces uh for over a decade with 10 to 12 guys at any point. Um I partied really hard. Like I wasn't, you know, I wasn't planning on living past age 30. Um, but a lot of the guys that I was living with, they were all steelworker. Um, they were steelworkers, they were in the steel worker union. So I was always kind of fascinated by unionism in general, um, not coming from a family where uh, you know, there was a lot of I don't come from a family where there's any union whatsoever. Um, but throughout this period of time, I met my husband. Um, we kind of settled down. His aunt was a carrier in Cleveland, Ohio. So uh once we kind of settled down and figured out that we wanted to uh, you know, kind of pursue an actual long life, long, healthy, happy life. Um we cleaned up our acts. We decided we needed to get better jobs. I was a restaurant manager by day and a bartender by night and wasn't really cutting it. So I applied for the postal service. Um, and the saga begins. Here we are.
SPEAKER_00Nice. All right. Well, I I don't know how old you are to be specific, and I'm not gonna ask a lady your age, but I I will say this if you've hit 30, I'm glad you lived longer than 30, and I sure hope you live a lot longer than 30.
SPEAKER_01So thank you. Actually, two days after we graduated, I turned 37.
SPEAKER_00So oh well, congratulations.
SPEAKER_01Thank you. We made it.
SPEAKER_00Yes, that's awesome. Okay, well, and I'll be honest, I couldn't tell. I I really couldn't. I didn't know if you you still look you look the same age as my daughter, so I I can't keep up anymore.
SPEAKER_01I appreciate yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh so you know, you you got into the postal service, you've been around for a minute here, and uh obviously you've decided to, you know, get involved in the NA NALC. What what caused you to decide to kind of take a leadership role?
SPEAKER_01Um, so that's also kind of funny. Um, so I said, you know, just previously that I was always kind of fascinated by unions in general. I was um, I was actually before I even got I even thought about applying at the postal service when I was looking for better jobs, I had asked one of my buddies if um, you know, steelworking was something he thought I could, you know, get into and get and handle. And he said, I don't know if you can actually rough it out with those guys. They're a little, a little extra. Um, and knowing me, he was like, they'll probably set you off. But um I actually stood, I'd been a restaurant manager for a decade before I came to the post service. So um I actually stood up in orientation when I introduced myself and I said I wanted to, I was planning on going into management. That was like day one. I was I know, right? Yeah. Day one, I was like, yeah, I'm gonna go into management. Over here, I'm thinking like big bucks, you know, whatever I can do to make the most money right off the bat. I'd been a great manager for a long time. So um, however, of course, I was hired as a CCA into a station in the Columbus installation that is actually listed as like the third worst station in the country for ECC cases and just everything. Um so uh within six months, I was like, am I allowed to cuss on here? Yeah, sure. Within six months, I was like, um I definitely saw that uh they were taking orders from you know people who probably never stepped foot on the workroom floor and they were pretty ridiculous, and then giving even more ridiculous orders to carriers just because they're required to, essentially. And we didn't have very strong representation in my station. I was in a station big enough to have three stewards. We had one steward, and that steward would call off for six months at a time. He was great, he was super knowledgeable, really, really intelligent, uh, but he was never there. So um I started reading the JCAM about six months in, and about a year in, I uh I asked for a special election and or I asked just for election in general since we were um we had two less stewards than we we could. Uh and I was voted in with uh as chief steward um my first year as a CCA. So wow it's pretty great.
SPEAKER_00That is awesome. And I'm glad you didn't go into management.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you and me both.
SPEAKER_00Um, so you just kind of listed off uh that you were a steward, chief steward. Uh what what positions have you held in your branch or whatever?
SPEAKER_01Oh boy, oh gosh. Um I'm all over. So I'm still steward. I've been chief steward. I'm I I switched to a different uh I transferred to a different station, so or I guess bid into a different station. Um I was an alternate steward there, steward there. I'm a formal A rep for the city of Columbus, and I have been for about four years. Um I actually, for about the last six months or so, have been the uh NIRMP JRT representative for our district, the Ohio 2 district. Um I'm an organizer, so I've done orientation and academy for about five years now. Um step B certified. Um I have been an outside steward. Um I'm a trustee within my branch. I'm hoping to run for VP at the end of this year. My um president, it's the end of his term, and he already retired from the post service. So he says he's done here in uh oops, sorry, says he's done here um with the union as well. So um kind of a jack of all trades, I guess, within our union.
SPEAKER_00I see that. Okay, well I'm going to let you just pick one that you would like to kind of go over and explain what your duties are in that position.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Um we'll go with the NIARP because that's what um I'm actually currently doing right now. So um it's my job to oversee every station and installation in our district. So um I have access to reports uh that management, I I'm actually kind of curious why I have access to them. It's great. Um, but they told us uh in training when they were training us to train that we would not be given access to these reports. But um, it was my duty right off the bat to train every EAS personnel, every manager, um, and every union representative from the MBA and the district all the way down to two of four B's and you know, alternate stewards on the new language specific to our CCAs, the new employee experience retention mentoring program. Um, we had a month to do that, uh, which was pretty intense. And then from there, um, as the JRT representative, I have a counterpart. And it's our job to kind of, you know, um watch these reports, these radar reports, look for violations, reach out to management and notify them when we're seeing violations. We really don't have anything to do with the grievance aspect of it. Uh, we're more of a um checks and balance, you know, uh letting management know when we're recognizing some violations. We go into stations and do actual station visits. We interview CCAs, ask them about their experiences. We um interview management, make sure that they understand the language of the program. Um, and we write up reports and we send it off to the MBA and the DM. Um, it's been pretty intense, I'll say, you know. Um, it's very disheartening being of this is the first joint team I've been on. I know a lot of people that have been on TRAP and um J Whips and all sorts of stuff, but this is the first joint program I've been a part of. And wow, um you really need uh a willing partner on the other side to make these programs work. And it's very disheartening um uh in some situations how little management truly cares to abide by something as simple as treating our new employees uh like humans and giving them the opportunity to succeed. Um it's important, uh it's very important. It's something I gosh, the very first rap session I ever went to. Um I was asked to stand up and give like a 10-minute speech to the whole group uh about the importance of new employee retention. And this was back in 2021 or 22, um, because my MBA had brought the new district manager around in our station and he had spoken to me because I was an organizer and he was so impressed. He asked me to um give a little speech. And um I that kind of steamrolled, I guess, into four or five years later. Here we are doing the NIRM program, and that's why I was chosen for this position. Um, but the retention rates, I mean, we just talked about it in our demographics class in and leadership. The what is it, 70% have less than 15 years in with the postal service uh of carriers countrywide. And I think what was it, 48% of that had less than five years in. So retention's important, especially I don't know how much time you have left till you retire, but I got 20 years to go. So uh I need the postal service to survive, I need carriers to stick it out with me. So yeah, that's kind of what I'm doing right now, is trying to impress how important it is that we keep people here, but easier said than done.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, yeah, and I I think that program is great because uh if it's followed, that's the key. But um, you know, they hire these people and just stick them out there for hour 12 hours on the first day they're there. And it's like, come on, man, you you're gonna run these people off. There's you know, that that's not gonna work. You gotta work them into that. You you gotta start them slow and work them into that. And so I'm I'm really glad that you're you know spearheading that there and hopefully, you know, it'll catch on and management will understand how important it is, but that's easier said than done a lot of times.
SPEAKER_01But exactly, yeah. Some people get it, and that's great, but yeah, yeah, much ready.
SPEAKER_00I I have uh I have a few years left, not quite 20. If I I just actually this past Saturday on the 23rd, that was my 28 years career, and then in June I hit 30 years total because I had some casual and T time in there.
SPEAKER_01So congratulations, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it it goes fast. Yeah, yeah. Um, the I have a couple questions are a little more uh personal. Um a lot of the ladies I've spoken to have had issues, whether it be within the with the postal service like management, or unfortunately, sometimes within the NALC with uh levels different levels of aggression or micro microaggressions, uh or just right out uh discrimination. I mean, for whatever reason. Have you had any of that that you've dealt with over your career? And if so, how did you deal with it? And do you feel like it was resolved?
SPEAKER_01Um, yeah, absolutely. Yes. Um, I've had that my whole life. I think almost any woman could probably say that they've dealt with that their whole life. Um, you know, little things here or there, um uh being called little girl. You know, I'm five foot one. So um, regardless of how loud or how tall I stand, being called I've been called little girl um by angry carriers. Um misogynistic comments. I've had uh people within my branch make comments about um, you know, I'm I'm sick of women calling uh because all they do is want to all they want to do is cry. Um what does it have to do with women? You know what I mean? I've had men call me crying before. Um, there's sexual harassment everywhere, whether you're on the street. Um I've been sexually harassed by customers, I've been sexually harassed by other craft employees, um, by you know, uh fellow representatives in our branch. Um I am a special, special kind of personality, we'll call it. Uh I am very strong-willed. I am uh very upfront with how people I I don't I don't sugarcoat anything. Um, and I'm the type of person that uh you bother me, I'm gonna say it to your face um before I say it to anybody else. So I have always addressed situations like that. I feel um yeah, you know, I like I said earlier at the beginning of this, I come from a strange background. I I grew up essentially always living with anywhere from 10 to 12 dudes. We just like packed everybody into a house, and the punk scene is pretty much almost all men. Uh, I had to learn to hold my own against them, you know, especially being one of the only females living in those houses, people saying, why aren't you doing the dishes or the, you know, shit like that. So um I learned at a very young age to hold my own. Um I'm loud. You know me, I'm loud. Uh, I have no problems telling it how it is. So um I have handled it very differently than I think most women will. Um, one thing I feel like I have to kind of check myself with is that the way I handle situations like that is very different from the norm, I think, for how women feel like they would be able to handle situations like that. Um, and I kind of have to remind myself often that um when I'm giving advice to women on how to handle things that they are maybe not as, I don't know, steadfast, I guess, to stick up for themselves like I would. Um, but then also to recognize that something that I kind of brush off is just like some bullshit comment that I put them in their place real quick. Maybe something that someone else is enduring over and over and over again because they don't know how to say stop and escalate if need be. Um I've personally never had to escalate anything because I've resolved it myself. Um, but it does definitely make me think about whether or not this person or these people may be treating others that way. And um kind of with how a lot of stuff's been going on, um, whether locally or nationally or just in the world in general lately, uh, it's one of those things that I'm trying to be a little bit more cognitive of, I guess, where when a comment like that is made, um, that it's reported appropriately to ensure that nobody else has to deal with those comments. If that makes sense. Totally.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Um we, you know, as a guy, you don't really notice that stuff. And um, but I have went out of my way to try to be more cognizant of the situations. And I used to be, you know, a little more like just kind of if I heard something, I was like, uh, you know, and just go brush it off. Now I it's kind of you you gotta use your strength as a I mean, my privilege of being a white male to kind of step up for sometimes when ladies are being talked to inappropriately, or anyone else for that matter. But um, yeah, it's and that's one thing about you. I I I don't know what and unless they just didn't know you, I don't know what man would ever I mean you are small in stature, yes, but wow, you I would not mess with you. I'm just saying you you could take me in a heartbeat. So, you know, I it it's crazy that someone would think that they could talk to you like that anyway, but you know, I'm glad that you have started kind of you know realizing not letting the little stuff go because, like you said, someone else might not have that same uh strength that you do, and so that that's really good. But I I'm sorry that you've dealt with it at all. Any ladies that deal with that, it's absolutely insane because you're there to go to work just like I am. You're just there to get a paycheck, you know, and take care of your customers.
SPEAKER_01It's unfortunate you know, it's more disheartening. It's definitely more disheartening hearing some of the other stories from women that I've spoken to have dealt with some stuff because, like I said, I've put a stop to it pretty quick, you know. Um, a comment's made, I say, you better watch it, you know. Second comments made, okay, I already asked you to stop. Third comment, listen, you know, if you don't, I've I've said it once or twice. If we don't stop now, we're gonna take it elsewhere, we're gonna take it higher, you know. Um, so are we really gonna go that route? Am I actually gonna have to report you or are we just gonna cut it out right now? Uh but some of the comments I've heard, or some of the things that I've heard, I guess, that other women have had to dealt with is utterly just like shocking and uh pretty deplorable. And I am, I think, pretty grateful I haven't had to dealt with it to that extent. But once again, I think a big part of that is because I've put a stop to the little things before it got out of control. So um still have all those crazy customers, though. I mean, covered in tattoos, I walk out on the street and I got people whipping their shirts off, wanted to talk to me, show me everything, maybe a little damn. Can you please stop?
SPEAKER_00We can talk, we can talk when we don't need to show. I I yeah, I get it. Um so another question that I have for you that's kind of a little more personal. Um, obviously, you do a little bit of everything, you're all over the place. Um, has this time, and this question actually comes from week one of leadership when we had our ask me anything of the facilitators, and I can't remember who even asked the question. I wish I could remember so I could give them credit, but I it really hit me. And that question is with the time that you spend on all your NALC jobs and duties, the time that you're away from your family and your friends, has that caused any issues for you?
SPEAKER_01Yes, yes and no. Um yes and no. I have, you know, um I knew a lot of people when I was growing up in in that that music scene. Um I can say out of all those people, maybe six are like truly good friends. The rest of them were just kind of like that atopical, like, yeah, we're party, but uh those six individuals or so I've definitely lost touch with. Um I still talk to them. But it's not nearly like I used to. I've actually I've gained a lot of friends through the union. Um, and sometimes I catch myself feeling kind of like uh an asshole, I guess, because I speak to my new union friends more than I do the people that I truly call my brothers and sisters, right? That I I grew up with that are like the reason that I'm still here fighting. Um but at the same time, those people are, you know, I reach out to them and it's like we just spoke yesterday, you know, it they're always gonna be very close. Um, they're so proud of where I'm at. I mean, I was at a buddy's birthday party a year ago. It was the last time I seen him. And I was telling him where I was at with the union at that moment. And, you know, I've I've only been employed with the Postal Service for uh over eight yeah, a little over eight years, right? I've been a union advocate for a little over six now. Um, six or I guess a little over seven now. Um so it's kind of uh I'm telling him this, and he's like, yeah, you know, Punk's taking over the union. It was just like everyone was like so stoked on where I was at because that's just something that is kind of like a mindset that we grew up with that, you know, solidarity and and just helping people um all the times. It was kind of this this um thought, I guess, that I was hoping I would be able to be a part of that at some point, but I had no clue that I was gonna be just like skyrocket through um kind of where I'm at right now uh within our union, you know, aside from all of the the things that I do, that I've I'm a part of our handle. There's just so much more, you know, the mentoring aspect. And I'm currently at my, I'm actually in a hotel room at my MBA's office because we're developing a formal A training for the region that I started the week before our last week of leadership and we're finishing up this week. So um, you know, it's it sucks because I've lost that close uh bond with a lot of those people, but they still are there for me and vice versa if if need be. Um and then, you know, my my I don't have a lot of family. I have a sister and a new baby niece. She's busy one in a ridery and and has, you know, um her baby to take care of. So I see her every Saturday. I have like two hours set out in the morning where I go over there and see her since I have a Saturday, Sunday off with this detail I'm on, which I absolutely hate. But um, and then my husband, um, I think that's the hardest part is being gone. My husband and I are he's fucking amazing. But he he's very much like me. I I announced it uh in our last leadership that I am like super anti-social. I actually hate being social more than anything. I think it's because I did all of that social part in my younger years. I got that all out of the system, and now I'm totally happy with just like sitting in the woods by myself. My husband's the same way, except he's worse because like I can actually pretend and be pretty social if I need to be. He can't. He's like, I don't know, I don't want to talk to anybody. Um so we exist in our space together, right? And he's like doing his thing and I'm doing my thing, but we're in the same space. So it's really hard to be gone. I mean, I've been gone so much this last year, and um, it's really hard, you know, when he's like in between I'm home for a weekend, and then he's like, I really wish you weren't leaving again. That's that's pretty rough, but he supports the hell out of me. So he's so proud of me. Um, he also works for the Post Service, he's with the APWU, he hates them. Uh, so I write a lot of grievances for him, and then he ships them off to his steward and says, Here, file this. So um he truly supports uh it's it's great to have him. It's sad to not be home often, but um the support I have from him, I think is it helps me to keep going because he does truly understand that there's a purpose behind me not being home all the time. So when I'm home, my phone locks down, nobody can get through unless they have an emergency because uh I dedicate my time to to being there, being present with him. So yeah.
SPEAKER_00It's hard, but that probably will lead me into my next question, which is what you like to do when you turn the phone off, put the laptop up, just you're done with the NALC for a minute. What do you like to do?
SPEAKER_01Camping. Uh we disappear into the woods. Um, I sleep in a hammock hammock, he's got a tent. Um, we go kayak fishing, so we're on the lake all day, every day. Um, that's legitimately what we do. I have a garden. Um, I uh grow a lot of plants, a lot of different kinds of plants. Um, nature, that is that's it. So um if we could unwind and relax, it would be to completely remove ourselves from society and just go hang out in the woods for a week or two weeks, whatever our vacation lines up as. So nice, pretty great.
SPEAKER_00I I can't do nature. Them snakes, they run me off. I can't do them. I I mean, I like I I don't mind outside if the snakes are nowhere around me, but going out in the woods, I don't know. Makes me nervous. I feel it.
SPEAKER_01I uh my uh mine is is poison ivy. Um I am very I mean, I have it right now. I'm literally always I've got poison ivy like all the time, essentially from like March until October, November. I have poison ivy somewhere. Um, sometimes I'm covered in it. Uh that's always brutal. I look like sloth from the Goonies. My whole eye like will swell up. It's like pretty brutal. Wear an eye patch sometimes. It's like really brutal. Wow. Um, but yeah, we just go with it.
SPEAKER_00So that's the stuff my mom used to put on me, and it was like some kind of liquid that was in a bottle, and she would use a uh cotton ball and rup drop it all over me when I got and I can't think of it.
SPEAKER_01Calamine, trust, I know calamine. I use tech new, I've got it all, man. But it don't matter. So it's still I'm like maybe one of these days I'll understand like how actual science works and I'll be able to create some sort of um you know something that stops you from being allergic to poison ivy.
SPEAKER_00But well, I I would say that if anybody could do it, you would be. I I saw your projects, I saw your work at leadership, so there's no question about it. That I I saw if you put your mind to something, nothing's stopping you. So that so thank you. Don't don't don't forget us little people when you make it big.
SPEAKER_01Oh, right, yeah, I got you, man. You're coming up with me.
SPEAKER_00All right, all right.
SPEAKER_01We're on it.
SPEAKER_00Nice, all right. Um, well, um, you know, you've been you've you obviously are doing so many different things. Um, and you know, you're you're young, you uh obviously are from a different generation than I am. So I think that you know a lot of the new people that are coming in, they may, you know, be uh understand you a little more than me because you've dealt with the CCA thing. You you were a CCA, I assume, or did you come in as a PTF?
SPEAKER_01No, if I wish I was a C C A.
SPEAKER_00Okay. So I never had the CCA. I was a casual and a T E, but um You know, someone that's coming up right now, if they're listening to this and they're thinking about, you know, hey, I might want to get involved in the NALC, you know, whatever role, what what would uh piece of advice you'd have for that person?
SPEAKER_01Oh boy. Um I think sometimes it's easier said than done, but um trust yourself, I guess, stand strong, you know. Um don't let the um demeaning comments, I guess, or um attitude uh put a stop to you uh pursuing wherever you want to go with the union, you know. Um I think that's a lot of a lot of times what I hear from um women I've spoken to that have tried to kind of, you know, say, hey, why don't you step up? And a lot of it is, well, it's just the way I'm treated, you know. Um it's easy for me to say, having such a strong will that, you know, I'm not gonna let anybody uh make you feel some sort of way. I actually used to, one of the mentors that I had who's a woman, um, she used to crack up because they used to say, you know, um, nothing can stop me. I'm the kind of person that kicks doors open. Um, I'm not waiting for them to, you know, open for me. Uh that's easy to say. So um I would say if you have someone in your branch that you do kind of look up to, someone that um you think, you know, that's where I want to be, uh, lean on them. You know, that's someone that would want to mentor the next generation. And uh I get so stoked when I see strong-willed women who are like willing to step up. We have a couple that I've kind of pulled up into our formal A right now and that I'm just so proud of. I mean, watching their uh their confidence grow over the last year and a half is just like I take a lot of pride in that, even though I really can't in a way because it's their work, their hard work. But I'm just so proud to see where they're at, you know. And there's a couple other young ladies that I'm uh they're pretty fresh in their career. And I'm like, you guys are going places if you um if you want within the union, you know, you just gotta stand strong, not back down. Um, trust your own knowledge, your own intelligence, lean on those uh that you could learn from and that you have learned from, and um be willing to make mistakes, give yourself some grace because you will make mistakes. And you know, making mistakes as a woman is a little bit harder than making mistakes as a men, I think, as a man, I think, because um when you make a mistake, you're just uh that woman who's made that mistake and it's a big deal, right? Whereas um I think uh kind of society just whatever when a dude makes a mistake, right? Um recognize that we all make mistakes and um none are bigger than others. You learn from those mistakes and you stay strong and and just keep trying, right? The only way we're gonna get better is learning better from those mistakes. So um I'm hoping. I'm hoping to see a lot more. I mean, I'm I'm proud to see how many women uh already are coming up in in our union, I think. I mean, uh personally. So it's uh it's nice to have that diversity for sure. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well, I mean, you guys are still in a male-dominated career, um, but it's getting closer. The numbers are getting closer, and hopefully uh we can keep getting them higher and higher. And I'm I'm with you. I hope that more ladies step up and get involved because I think that ladies like you are stepping up that are going to give that courage to the next group of ladies coming in and just keeps on going. So, you know, you you should be proud because you know, maybe you didn't do the work for them, but they saw you doing it and said, Hey, I can do that too. So you should take some pride in that. That's awesome. You know, you're you're killing it. So that's all I I'm I I am proud of you. So what for what it's worth, I am very proud of you. Being an old guy, I'm very proud of you. Uh I I'm was very fortunate to meet you at uh leadership. Um I you you're you're an amazing lady, that's for sure, and you've got an amazing story. Um, I've went through all of my questions, so now I will just ask you is there anything you would like to add? Anyone you want to throw shout out? Any anything at all? The floor is yours.
SPEAKER_01Well, absolutely, yeah. Um, you know, I I shout out to um the the women that I'm currently very close with. Uh Jackie Mitchell was the woman that signed me up as a uh as a in the union. Um, and a lot of thanks to her. I actually didn't sign up in orientation. I waited until academy um and she pulled me into it with her uh academy presentation. Um, shout out to Marta Rhodes. Uh she graduated, I think, in class 30 of leadership. Um, Jackie Mitchell actually introduced us. We ran a women's round table at our state convention in Toledo last August, and that's where we met. And that is another amazingly strong woman that I am so grateful to to have met. Um, and then two, you know, the women that uh that I I take uh I'm so proud of right now in in my branch, um, Rosalind Smith and and Carlin Wolf. They're they're two women that are definitely on the move coming up within our branch. And I can't wait to see what they do. And there's so many women coming in behind them that I'm also really excited to see where they go. Uh I I feel like there's a big divide in our current leadership and um and and those behind them, kind of something we've talked about a lot in leadership, where you want to make sure you mentor and and continue mentoring for the future generations um to come up. And there is a big divide in our branch right now, which it seems like that's kind of um status quo for a lot of branches across the country. Uh, but I'm constantly searching for that. And I'm I'm so stoked to see that there's a lot of young women who are really, really taking interest in moving up with the union. So I'm really excited to see where our branch is going in the future for sure. So a lot of young men too, don't get me wrong. So there's a lot of really awesome dudes, but of course, female power over here, I'm all about it.
SPEAKER_00So of course, of course. Well, I'm I'm gonna throw out one more person that you need to shout out, and that person lives in the house with you. I I would like you to shout out your husband.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, shout out to Daniel Crosby. That man is holding it down. Do you know Daniel Crosby? He uh cooked my meal every single night for those five months that we were at leadership because I was just glued to the computer from like the time I woke up, went to work, came back from work on you know, on the computer until it was bedtime. So that man, I actually at this point, after I'm done with leadership, I was like, Are you sure you want help cooking meals? Because you were like really good at it.
SPEAKER_00Hey, don't mess up something good, you know. He's got he's on a roll. Um well, I I thank him for sharing you with all of us.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, he's great at it. And also, you know, I also missed out too.
SPEAKER_00What's that?
SPEAKER_01I'm sorry, I missed it too, and I should have given her a shout-out. Shout out to Linda Johnson. I said shout out to Linda Johnson too, who's in our leadership class. That I met her in the rank and file, and um she has blossomed as an individual. Uh from the time I met her in October or September of last year into leadership. She was very quiet, and um, she's she's going places as well for sure.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. So well, you know, with ladies like excited to see where she goes. Yeah, definitely. And with ladies like you and Linda, um I feel like the union is in very good hands for the future, you know. I think that we're gonna be very well taken care of with ladies like you coming up. I I I I'm sitting there in the room, and I'm just gonna tell you, I'm sitting in the room that first week, and I look around and I'm just thinking, what am I doing here? These ladies and guys, they're all a bunch of killers, and here I am. What in the world am I doing here? And you know, that was the greatest thing about it was no one acted like they were better than anybody else. Everybody just came in there and was like, What are we doing here? And uh we all it was some late nights, and uh the other thing was when we walked in, I was thinking they're like, You're gonna know all these people and they're gonna be like family to you by the time this is over. And I thought, I can't remember who I talked to yesterday. There's no way I'm gonna remember these people. My gosh, I have no problem knowing everybody now. It's it's it's crazy. It's that uh those late nights, uh early mornings, and uh the maritime food, it you bond over it, that's for sure.
SPEAKER_01So well they definitely, yeah, they definitely bring you together, don't they?
SPEAKER_00They do, they do. Well, uh Kelsey, I I just really appreciate you jumping on here with me. I know you are always busy and I don't want to take any more time. I'm sure you've got plenty of stuff to do this evening as well. Um, I do apologize. I am on vacation and I am in uh a place apparently that we're still working with dial up because my internet has not been the greatest, but I think we fought through and I think uh I think it's gonna be okay. So if if there are any connection issues, it's completely on me, and I apologize to you, Kelsey, for that. But thank you for fighting through it with me. I I do appreciate you. So anyway, well, absolutely, you have a great night, and I thank everybody for listening and be safe and be kind of.